Autumn of Life
by BuggyNess
Summary: Mortally wounded in battle while once again trying to save a loved one, Tenchi discovers a life he could never imagine. Is it too late to bring him back? Does he want to return? Surprising romance and adventure. May become limey and contain violen
1. Chapter 1

Autumn of Life  
  
Chapter 1  
  
"Ayeka!" The armored prince yelled frantically as he grasped the air, missing the levitating princess by inches.  
  
"Lord Teeeennchi!" She answered as her body rose higher into the air, suspended by red rings of light until she disappeared into the arms of the dark ship that hovered above the others on the ground.  
  
"Washu! Do something!" Ryoko screamed as she grabbed the hapless cat-rabbit creature, furry little Ryo-Ohki and flung her into the air.  
  
"I'm trying…" The childlike scientist typed furiously upon a transparent laptop computer which hovered before her.  
  
Cute and fuzzy Ryo-Ohki flew through the air. She emitted a high pitched screech and began to transform into an enormous space ship with graceful steel gray peaks and spikes. With a triumphant "Miya!", her own transport beam struck the frantic group on the ground, gently raising them into her sheltering arms.  
  
Tenchi Masaki, dark haired crown prince of Jurai could only watch in horror as his dear friend, Princess Ayeka Jurai was whisked away by the dark ship.  
  
"What do you have, Washu?" Tenchi uttered as he materialized on the crystal bridge of the cabbit ship.  
  
"Here!" The red haired child pointed to Ryo-Ohki's monitor and a glowing blip appeared. "I've locked onto them so we can follow!"  
  
"Good! I'm going to make them pay!" Ryoko growled and clenched her fist.  
  
"Ryoko, this is not your fight…..it was….it was my house they destroyed…." Tenchi placed a hand on the pirate's shoulder.  
  
"As I was your guest there, it was MY house too….and my, my extended family that was hurt…." She placed her hand upon the boy's which still rested on her shoulder.  
  
"Washu, can you tell if, if anyone was hurt too badly?"  
  
"Let me see, well, the house is pretty much gone, I can fix that when we get back… Katsuhito, well, Yes! Here's his life signs, he's quite alright." As she typed images of the destruction caused by the enemy ship came across her laptop screen. They could see Tenchi's grandfather, Katsuhito scratching his head as he gazed upon the ruins of the Masaki house. From out of the rubble scrambled Tenchi's father Nobouyki followed by Ayeka's little sister, Sasami. "Great! They are all ok! Let's get those kidnapping bastards!" Washu snarled.  
  
Ryo-Ohki had great trouble keeping up with the black ship that held the princess. She struggled and strained but at least they had tracking on the vessel.  
  
"That's ok, little Ryo-Ohki. You did your very best, now just try to keep up a little longer." Washu urged.  
  
"We have to come up with a battle plan, we can't just go in with blasters blazing. We don't want to destroy the ship with Ayeka on it." Tenchi uttered.  
  
"Well, I can phase through the hull and fight them off and get her out."  
  
"Ryoko, that won't work, she can't survive in space like you can….Washu?"  
  
"Well, I suggest an attack of distraction. Ryoko, you are an expert in piloting Ryo-Ohki, fire a few diversion shots to keep them concentrated on you while we transport Tenchi to Ayeka's location on the ship. I have this little device that will get you both back…" She held open her hand and a small object materialized. "This switch will teleport you back to this ship once you have Ayeka." She handed the small metal box to Tenchi. "I'll be here to monitor your location and for tactical advice to Ryoko."  
  
"That will work! But I still think I should go with Tenchi!"  
  
"No, Ryoko, I can do this. I'm ready Ryo-Ohki!"  
  
Ryoko, with her golden feline eyes and spiky blue hair locked eyes with Tenchi and he disappeared from the ship.  
  
"Washu, send a transmission Mihoshi to leave her patrol and join us immediately….goddess knows, we may need her help."  
  
"I already have."  
  
***  
  
"This is unacceptable!" Ayeka screeched as shackles were placed upon her wrists and she was manhandled down a corridor by armored men. "I demand to speak to whoever is in charge of this fiasco!"  
  
"You are in no position to demand anything," one guard snapped as he flung the girl against the wall.  
  
The princess shivered at the creature's appearance. Barley humanoid, he stood over six feet tall with scaly gray skin but what was most unusual about her captors was that several of their body parts were mechanical. All random, but it seemed that an eye here, and arm there had been replaced in some manner with cold metal and gears. She cringed again as the one guard locked her gaze and it seemed that he could melt her with his cold stare with eyes of pure green and no pupils she could discern.  
  
"Enough!" Ayeka squared her shoulders and faced her foes. A mystical wind engulfed her body blowing her purple hair skyward as her key, the tiara she wore began to glow. "I have had enough!" With an upward thrust of her arms, the princess summoned her Jurai power and hurled an invisible blast of pure force at her guards knocking all but the biggest one down.  
  
"Get the confinement array! Now!" Barked the meanest creature. As he ordered more creatures appeared with a black box. They placed it before the leader.  
  
"Let me go!" The princess was now encircled by numerous small wooden cylinders, each emitting a luminous glow.  
  
"Release the array!" As the head creature ordered the box sprang open and out shot several disks connected by some sort of wire. They set themselves up in a semicircle around the princess. The disks also began to glow. As Ayeka was about to strike again, the disks emitted a blast of orange light which escaped with a screeching sound. The invisible force the princess thrust at her attackers bounced off of the array and struck the girl full force in the chest. Ayeka flew once more backward knocking herself unconscious against the far wall.  
  
"Pick up that idiot!" The key creature yelled at his subordinates as he pointed to the princess. The aliens followed his command, one unceremoniously slinging the girl over his back as they continue down the hall.  
  
***  
  
"Dr. Clay."  
  
"What is it Ganali?" The rotund scientist answered the beast with a sneer. "Can't you see that I am busy?"  
  
"Forgive me….uh,….you're Greatness, but, we have captured the girl as you asked."  
  
"Good, good, finally I can make peace with lady Tokimi! And my reward will be this Galaxy to rule!" He let out a jolly laugh, one that made the curls of his beard and hair bounch. "With Ryoko I will have killed three birds with one stone! I will have those curious gems to experiment upon. I will have Washu as she will surely follow to rescue her, ahem, daughter, and that little imp boy will try to rescue them all! He will make a nice pet for Tokimi and I can break him down into tiny little pieces to discover the source of his power! Oh what fun! I am brilliant! Ganali! Take me to Ryoko!"  
  
The evil doctor followed the reptilian creature out of the room and toward a holding cell. Dr. Clay snapped his fingers and the door whizzed open. There, in a pool of the many folds of her intricate garment, rest Princess Ayeka unconscious.  
  
"What!" Dr. Clay's one eye began to twitch in anger. "You've stolen the Princess! I gave you specifics! This is NOT Ryoko!"  
  
"Forgive us, your highness!" Groveled the lead Ganali as he bowed in servitude to the Doctor. "Begging Master's forgiveness…..please……all humans look alike to us! And she was with the Masaki boy!"  
  
"oooooooooo! I am surrounded by incompetence! I made too many miscalculations in your genetic structure! I'll have to delete your race and start fresh!"  
  
"Please! No, master! Please, send us out again, we will get you this girl!" The creature shivered as Dr. Clay loomed over him.  
  
"Wait……hmmmmm. Well, I don't have the gems, but this girl has nothing of interest to me….other than she will lure the ones I need to me anyway. Yes, that will work nicely."  
  
"So, we are to prepare for the coming of the others?"  
  
"Yes, ready your brothers for an attack." He turned to the Ganali. "And if you fail….I will destroy your kind as easily as I created them. Dr. Clay turned to leave.  
  
"Highness…….what do we do with…..her?" the lead Ganali asked pointing to the Princess.  
  
"Oh, I don't care……she's yours…..I am retiring to my own ship for the moment." With that, the doctor exited.  
  
A sinister sneer spread across the gaping mouth of the Ganali leader revealing rows of sharpened teeth. He began to salivate as he stood over the prostrate form of Lady Ayeka.  
  
  
  
***  
  
Tenchi materialized aboard the captor's ship just in time to feel the initial jolt of a plasma blast from Ryo-Ohki that nearly toppled him to the cold steel floor. Quickly gaining his bearings, he took the Tenchiken from out of his field coat and held the wooden hilt before him. Ryoko's gems glistened the the half light of the vessel. He closed his eyes and said a heartfelt prayer and hoped that the stuff that made this weapon purely Jurai, would also allow him to find Ayeka within the caverns of the evil space ship. He did not know just how he knew to do this, but felt it would work and to his relief, once he opened his chocolate brown eyes, the two gems in the hilt began to glow.  
  
"Please, Tsunami, please help me…." As he pleaded, he motioned the sword left and right, noticing that that glow of the red jewels became more pronounced as he pointed it to the corridor to the left and so, left he ran, deep into the heart of the black ship.  
  
Tenchi ran with fervent urgency. His heart told him he could not waste any time, that if he did, something terrible would happen to Ayeka. Sweat trickled down his temples as he flew toward where he hoped the sword would lead him. Suddenly, two very hideous creatures appeared in his field of vision.  
  
"Who are you? Get him!" One yelled as they both lunged at the boy.  
  
Years of tedious martial arts practice at the tutelage of his grandfather Katsuhito prepared him for a direct advance. With graceful ease and calmness, Tenchi ignited the Tenchiken as the first creature approached with a long sword. The oafish monster was too slow to predict the boy's stealthy movements as he leapt into the air and slashed into the monsters helmet with the hilt of the sword knocking him to the ground unconscious. The second creature was not as lucky, for as he swiped his own blade toward Tenchi's abdomen, the boy whirled around and slashed it's torso down the middle sending him to the floor writhing in pain. Tenchi considered the beasts for a second - the twinge of guilt at hurting them dissipated as the gems began to hum and glow, signaling that he was very, very close. He left the creatures contorting on the floor and he ran down the corridor once more.  
  
***  
  
"Wake her up!" The giant Ganali screamed and another hoisted the princess up by her collar and began to shake her awake.  
  
"Oh……" She slowly opened her eyes and they grew as large as saucers as barely two inches separated her face from that of the monster holding her upright. "Unhand me!" Her tiara began to glow and a sonic boom along with an unseen force propelled the creature away from her, leaving her to descend to the floor gently on her own accord. "Now! Remove these shackles!" She threatened the lead Ganali with her bound hands.  
  
"You forget what happened last time!" The large monster approached her and as he did, his subordinates opened the black box and the array of discs once more arranged themselves in a semicircle around them both. "Now! You will learn to appreciate Gnor!" He grabbed her by her throat and pushed her against the wall, pinning her there by brute force. She grabbed at his wrist with her shackled hands trying in vain to pry them off of her throat as she gasped for air. "Leave us!" Gnor snarled and his men listened and soon he and the Princess were alone. The monster snickered as the girl struggled beneath his arm. With his right hand, Gnor as delicately as such a brute could manage, brushed some locks of purple hair from Ayeka's forehead and he admired her tiara. "Yes……this is a pretty thing….it is….I think I will make it mine…." He reached for the tiara and was about to rip it off of her brow when he heard a loud shriek from outside. The monster was about to see what the commotion was about when a blue blade of light ripped through the door.  
  
"Step away from her!"  
  
"Te….." Ayeka tried to speak but the hand at her throat restrained her voice as it did oxygen.  
  
"I said….UNHAND HER!" The boy's normally gentle face contorted with anger. He could see that the huge beast's grip on her delicate neck was not letting up. The princess's eyes were rolling back in her head, she was being strangled in front of him.  
  
"Move and I will break her neck!" Gnor snickered.  
  
"Unhand her or I will remove your head from yours!"  
  
They were at a stalemate. Tenchi could see his grip let up slightly as he knew that if she died his hostage would be no use. Ayeka managed to inhale minute gasps of air as she rolled her eyes to look at the boy pleadingly for help. The sword hovered inches from the Ganali creature and both foes stared each other down.  
  
"What can I do?" Tenchi thought to himself. He could no longer maintain a low heart rate. With alarming speed, his heartbeat increased until he felt the creature could hear it. No longer calm, he now lacked the ability to think clearly and fight effectively. Tenchi cursed himself for not being able to react in adversary as his Granpa trained him.  
  
Time stopped. The three life forms were no longer in the same room together-it was Tenchi alone. His heart now fluttered each beat like the beating of a hummingbird's wings. Slowly, and certainly, the boy extinguished the sword and placed it back in his coat.  
  
"Giving up, eh?" Gnor drooled. "We can play after I take this pretty pretty." He once more tried to pull Ayeka's key off of her head.  
  
Suddenly the room was filled with brilliant white light, light so bright it burned at Gnor's retinas and the monster was forced to finally release his death grip on Ayeka. She dropped to the floor as he shielded his eyes. Gnor could not believe the sight before him, the light was coming from that boy…..the Masaki boy! Tenchi, now clad in the brilliant robes of the Light Hawk now appeared before them in control once more. Three opaque blades rotated before his noble form. He raised his arms before him as he did they were propelled through Ayeka and hit Gnor with a sickening crash of light and sound. The monster was thrown away from the princess and held back by a glowing shield. Tenchi brought his hands slowly up and back to his chest and as he did, the princess was gently picked up by invisible hands and levitated into his arms.  
  
"Master! Master! They are here! They are here!" Gnor screamed as Tenchi's light grew brighter and brighter until it engulfed the room and nothing more could be seen but pure, white light. 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:  
  
"Washu!" Ryoko screamed as a jolt caused poor Ryo-Ohki to lurch and roll. "Where'd that hit come from?" The pirate spun her head around to catch a glimpse of their sneak attacker in one of the cabbit's view screens. She clutched the smooth, steel orbs that were the ship's controls and swung her arms to the right, causing the ship to roll in that direction as well. "Where? Where?"  
  
"Ryoko, you're not going to believe it, but it's someone we know!"  
Washu snickered as she typed on her floating laptop.   
  
"Who? Kagato? Washu, spit it out, I'm having trouble dodging those blasts!"  
  
"Hahahahahahah! I knew he'd not give it up so easily. I really underestimated his gumption, that's for sure…"  
  
"God damn it, Washu who the hell are you talking about?"  
  
"Our friend Dr. Clay, little Ryoko……and tone down that language!" She went back to her transparent computer screen. The light from the monitor flashed on her childlike face as a sinister sneer crackled through her features. "He's got a new ship……..what are we wittle ones to do?" She pushed a few more buttons as Ryo-Ohki meowed in distress as the last blast shook her hull.  
"There's where rolly polly is a hiding!" As Washu pressed a red button, the outline of a cloaked vessel appeared on a view screen in front of Ryoko.  
  
"Argggggh, now I've got you Clay! Ryo-Ohki! Weapons to full blast! Fire!"  
  
"Ryoko! No, the angle and trajectory of that blast will……."  
  
Washu was unable to finish her sentence as the tired cabbit ship let out a raging battle cry. The ship attracted points of light from all around space accumulating in a horrendous glow just above her pink domed bridge. Once the power had amassed to the breaking point, Ryo-Ohki released her fury upon Dr. Clay's vessel. Time seemed to stop. For, in the split second the beam of energy was about to breach his hull, Dr. Clay dematerialized his ship letting the beam go straight through….to its sister ship behind, the ship carrying Tenchi and Ayeka.  
  
"Noooooooo!" Ryoko wailed.  
  
***  
  
Ryo-Ohki's misaimed blast shook Tenchi back to reality. Actually, it slung both he, Ayeka and Gnor from the room they were standing, into the hall and against the far wall with a thud. Fortunately, his shield comforted the blow. Ayeka began to stir and gazed into his kind eyes.  
  
"Oh, Tenchi, I was so scared…..he had his grimy hands on ME!"  
  
"Ayeka, we're not out of the woods yet, here, help me get this thing of Washu's to work and we will be out of here." Tenchi reached into his glowing garments and produced Washu's teleportation device. "Hold on to me, I think I just have to push this button…." He held up his right hand and was about to press the activation button when a green blast of energy shot the contraption out of his hand and it sailed across the hall.   
  
"What the?" The boy turned to see a whole legion of monsters panting and glaring down at them from the far end of the corridor. These Ganali were not armed with mere swords but they held crude blasters and spears. "Quick, run this way! I'll hold them off, get the device!"   
  
Tenchi pushed the Princess forward, toward the teleportation device. She gave him a look to protest but his own very serious eyes persuaded her to do as he asked. She ran down and reached for the square device. It was no use. The invention of Washu's was a smoldering glob of melted goo on the steel floor.   
  
"Lord Tenchi! It's destroyed! What do we do?"  
  
"You will die!" Gnor yelled as he rose to his feet. "I don't care what Master has ordered, kill that human boy!" His men flew past him. "And save the Princess for me!"  
  
Throngs of scaly, half reptile, half machine creatures swarmed upon Tenchi. The boy exhaled and closed his eyes, trying to remember a lifetime of his grandpa's lesions in a fraction of a second. With ease, he ignited his blue light hawk blade and decapitated one attacker and with the back thrust sliced into the side of another. One monster lunged only to have the boy duck, causing his spear to strike his comrade. Ganali's fired their blasters, only to have the lasers slung back at them from Tenchi's energy shield. As the boy backed his way down the hall, following Ayeka, the steel floor became carpeted with the bleeding carcasses of these hapless beasts until the few left standing ran away in utter fear for their lives.  
  
Tenchi inhaled deeply and opened his eyes. He shook with horror at the site laid before him. Those ugly creatures, all dead at his hands. He extinguished his blade and gazed upon his sullied hands, now stained with green blood. He felt strange. Tenchi didn't feel disgusted in himself, he felt strong, stronger than he had ever felt in his life. Ordinarily, such an act would have left him possibly in tears with guilt and rage at what he was capable of-like that sick feeling in the pit of his stomach after he told Ryoko he hated her in a fit of rage when she tore his mother's kimono. But now, he felt, well… superior.  
  
"Tenchi! Move!" Ayeka flung herself upon the boy pushing them both out of the corrodor into the next as a wall of flames shot past just where Tenchi had stood. The ship was totally disabled by Ryo-Ohki's blast and in his daydreams, Tenchi had almost been incinerated standing in the middle of the hall.  
  
"T…thank you Miss Ayeka…..I'm not sure what happened back there….." He was a bit embarrassed at the carnage he created.  
  
"That's alright, Lord Tenchi……You, you did what you had to….to protect us." Her voice did not sound too sure of that. Ayeka had watched over her shoulder as the boy, the kind, gentle source of all of her affections, brutally dismember a whole legion of attackers without even opening his eyes, without even taking another breath. In seconds, he was the only one standing. She was glad of it, but Ayeka couldn't help the strange feeling in her own stomach as well…..one of disbelief and uncertainty.  
  
"Tenchi, over there, I think those are escape pods. This ship is falling apart, we've got to get off!"  
  
"Uh, right!" Tenchi answered as they both ran toward a section of the ship, smoke following them as they came upon the pods.  
  
"They are too small! No! I can't go alone!" Ayeka spun around and grasped Tenchi around the waste. "I just can't leave you."  
  
"Ayeka!" Tenchi pleaded to the princess. "Please, the pods only have room for one, please take this one and I'll use my own." He ushered the girl to sit in the somewhat cramped escape pod as the ship shook violently. "We don't have much time."  
  
"Tenchi, please hurry."  
  
"I think all you have to do is press this release…." He pointed to a green button inside the pod. He groaned when a red flashing light indicated that there was some sort of malfunction with the release. "Ok, let me see…..Ayeka, I'll have to launch you from outside….fasten the seat belt…I'm closing the door."  
  
"Tenchi!" The beautiful princess lunged forward and planted a soft kiss on the youth's cheek. "Please be careful!"  
  
"Don't worry," Tenchi smiled in his own goofy way and brought the pod door down.   
  
Ayeka could see him through the large port hole of the escape pod. She also saw something that made her heart skip a beat….one of those hideous and drooling creatures was standing behind her Tenchi. She tried to reach for him, but her belt kept her in place.   
  
The boy became puzzled at Ayeka's horrified expression. He could clearly see her terrified face and for one split second Tenchi was confused. A split second was all Gnor needed to thrust his dagger deep into Tenchi's side. The boy grunted at the initial strike and moaned even louder when the blade was withdrawn from his body.   
  
Tenchi had not seen or felt that coming. He was confident he had disabled all the creatures and now silently cursed himself for lowering his guard for that small moment. He mentally frowned as he thought how disappointed his Grandpa would be for his forgetting all those years of training in the one split second it took for the Ganali inflict the mortal wound. He could stop it now. Tenchi pooled his power into a giant shield in time to splinter the blade as it came toward his body for another strike. The boy turned around, eyes filled with both pain and fury. His brilliant Light Hawk garments, now marred and stained with his own blood, billowed in the magical breeze. In his right hand, the boy formed a fist and from it grew the pure blue blade of the light hawk. In one fell swoop, he cleaved the head off of his attacker and as it fell and its former body fell, the boy let the shield and sword extinguish.   
  
"Tenchi!" Ayeka screeched and pounded on the glass of the pod door, frantically trying to get to the injured boy.  
  
The prince turned to her, so terribly slowly. He no longer had the capacity to maintain the garments of the light hawk and the billowing warriors robes dissipated and turned once more into his well-worn, brown field coat, although that too held an ever growing stain of red on his left side. He stumbled a bit and grasped his wound with his right hand. Ayeka's eyes widened as she saw blood running through his fingers as he put pressure on the injury. Suddenly, the ship lurched violently and smoke began to fill the small corridor that held the two pods. The sudden jolt propelled Tenchi headfirst against the pod window. He gazed lovingly at the girl held prisoner before him.  
  
"A….Ayeka….." Tenchi muttered weakly as he raised his right hand to the pod window as if to caress her distraught cheek.   
  
"Noooooo!" Ayeka raised her own hand to the window as if trying to grasp the crimson stained hand before her.  
  
Tenchi smiled sadly and removed his hand from the window, leaving red streaks upon the glass. His eyes never left the Princess's as his right hand moved toward the green glowing eject button and pressed it.   
  
In the blink of an eye, the Princess was hurled into the darkness of space with her last sight, the wonderful face of her beloved Tenchi growing smaller and smaller until he and the ship were gone.  
  
"Be safe….Miss Ayeka." Tenchi mumbled as he clutched his bleeding side again. The boy stumbled and fell as the ship shook once more. Fire and smoke began to fill the cabin causing him to cough with much pain. He looked around him and saw the other pod through the smoke. "I've got to get off this ship!"   
  
Tenchi made his way to the other escape pod, not noticing the trail of blood trickling from his left leg nor did he notice his pants leg was mostly soaked. Sighing a sigh of relief at finding the interior eject button was functioning, the boy grit his teeth at the pain as he fastened his own seatbelt. He brought the door down and with a shaky and bloodied hand then pressed the launch button. With no time to spare, the small pod was propelled into space just as the giant ship exploded. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's notes**  
Well, I really appreciate all those who were kind enough to review Autumn of Life. Specifically:  
  
Nuke: please bear with me, I promise I'll write more :)  
  
Paladin: Hopefully without giving too much away, I can tell you I am pro T/R all the way………….. I think both sides will appreciate (I hope) how the romance will evolve between the character(s). I just think it's neat exploring both Ayeka and Ryoko's love for Tenchi.  
  
Thundergod: I hope I can keep that seal of approval.  
  
Anyway, the next chapter deals with some physics about space and phenomenon that I have no idea about. I'm winging it people. On with the show……….  
***********************************  
  
Chapter 3:  
  
  
  
"Tenchi!!!!!!!" Ryoko wailed a cry of pain that seemingly reverberated throughout the known universe. He heart exploded along with that ship. She clutched her chest as if to squeeze the hurt right out of her body, but to no avail. Her world was hers alone-Washu, Ryo-Ohki, no one else existed at that one solitary moment of grief. Nothing existed but silence and the wicked pain of loss which shred her heart into a million pieces. Ryoko fell to her knees in tears.   
  
The pirate had no time for sorrow. After Ryo-Ohki's blast obliterated Clay's second ship, the wreckage, gasses and debris suddenly withdrew back into the center of the explosion. Instead of expanding from the blast, the ship began to implode, collapsing upon itself like a dying star.  
  
"Ryoko……get…..to…..the controls! Now!" Washu ordered her daughter in an attempt to snap her out of her grief if only for a moment to save themselves from their own pending doom. "Ryoko!"  
  
"Washu?" She was numb but this state was not foreign to her. Ryoko had felt this before once, a long time ago. She remembered the pain Kagato had caused her when he destroyed the Ryo-Ooh. Tenchi had died that day as well.  
  
"Stand aside!" In an instant, red-haired Washu took command of the ship. "Ryo-Ohki! We've got to get out of here, quick!"   
  
"Miyaaaaaaaa….." The little cabbit-ship cried in her own pain from wounds Clay had inflicted upon her. She was so scared-scared she was the one that killed Tenchi and Ayeka. She was scared for her mommy too. Because they were linked mentally, Ryo-Ohki felt every ounce of Ryoko's pain.  
  
"I know, sweety, I know, but that's ship is going to implode and either drag us into it or incinerate us with the final wave after the implosion. Ryo-Ohki!"  
  
"Miya, miya, miya!" The cabbit uttered with excitement. She had found something in space, something that felt familiar.  
  
"Look! A small craft!" Washu's eyes widened at the possibilities. "Ryo-Ohki! Can you lock onto it and put the petal to the metal and get us out of here?"  
  
"Miiiiiiiyyyyyaaaaa!" It was done.  
  
Kilometers away from the cabbit-ship, a mere jaunt in the relativity of space, Clay's Ganali ship, or what was left of it, collapsed upon itself. Silence.  
Then with the ferocity of a raging river, a shot rang through space and time. The shock wave propelled all objects in the vicinity of the craft outward through space like the ripples on a pond created from a stone tossed through the surface of the water. Ryo-Ohki was traveling at just about the fastest speed she could ever remember. Still, the expanding circle of energy that emanated from the destroyed ship grew ever close.  
  
"C'mon, C'mon!" Washu grit her teeth as she monitored the wave chasing them.  
  
"Oooops! What's going on? Ryoko?" Mishoshi's ever pleasant face appeared on one of the view screens.  
  
"Mihoshi! Get out of here!" Washu replied as Ryoko stared into space.  
  
"Ummmmm kay…..Yukinojo?"  
  
"Complying, Mihoshi, strap yourself down…." Her robot replied.  
  
Two ships, one with a craft in tow, zipped through space in an attempt to escape the wave of energy flowing toward them. One the bridge of Ryo-Ohki, the space pirate, Ryoko, sat calm and reflective as she watched the blue ripple of energy catch up to her. He was gone, destroyed like a piece of paper crumpled up in your hands. Ayeka too, was gone, never to fight with her over Tenchi's love. For a split second, jealously ran through her mind. She was jealous that the princess had died with Tenchi and she had not.   
  
"Damn you, Ayeka," She uttered. But as soon as it appeared, that envy slipped back into the pain of loss. Ryoko loved that boy more than her own life. She watched him grow from a child to a kind young man. Years before he had released her from her prison in that cave, she had managed to project herself outside to watch him play. She comforted him in silence when his mother died. She watched him mature until that wonderful day he had stolen his grandfather's keys to the gate on the cave and made his way in to find her tomb. For seven hundred years, she had waited, waited for the day of her release so she could seek vengeance upon his grandfather, Yosho for imprisoning her, Kagato's servant, in the cold waters of hell in that cave. Tenchi freed her and to her surprise, he freed her from that hate as well. Now all she knew was love, love for that simple boy with brown hair and chocolate eyes. However, she loved only a sweet memory, her prince was dead and she wished she could join him.  
  
"Ok, hang on people! Contact with the residual energy in Five, Four, Three….Two……" Washu called out as the ship rolled and lurched with the oncoming wave.  
  
It was over. Quiet. Dark. Alone.  
  
"Washu! Are we dead?" Mihoshi's voice wailed once more over the communication screen on Ryo-Ohki.   
  
"Hahahahahah! Not with the greatest pilot in the universe at the helm!" She jumped with joy. "Great work Ryo-Ohki!"   
  
"Miyaaaaaa…….." The cabbit answered weakly.  
  
"Right, honey…….Mihoshi, we're coming aboard, she's injured."  
  
"Ok, Yukinojo, assist them……Washu? Where's Tenchi?"  
  
"Mihoshi? Don't forget the object we were towing….."  
  
A solitary tear fell down Ryoko's cheek and fell to the silver surface of the floor.  
  
***  
  
"Miya!"   
  
"Hold still. You really shouldn't wiggle so much….I can't get the bandage on you!" Mihoshi held the soft, brown, half cat, half rabbit creature in her arms and attempted to bandage her left paw. "You took a bad beating you know….."  
  
"Thank you Mihoshi." Washu put a comforting hand on the blonde galaxy police officer's shoulder.  
  
"Miss Washu, will Ryoko, be alright?"  
  
"She's a tough bird, Mihoshi, we'll see. Now, bring Ryo-Ohki and let's see what or hopefully who is in that pod! Ryoko?"  
  
"Huh?" The pirate answered.  
  
"Little Ryoko, come with us, please?" Ryoko obeyed and slowly followed the others into the docking bay.   
  
The room was filled with steam and smoke from the craft. It was barely the size of a golf cart and round with a small round porthole in the front. It was brown and smooth and reminded Mihoshi of those wonderful cups she and her partner Kiyone used to drink their warm green tea from so many years ago.   
  
"Hmmmmmm." Washu murmured and sat down in mid air. Before she had time to fall on her bottom, a purple velvet cushion materialized beneath her and levitated her body in comfort. The child-like scientist snapped her fingers and an opaque laptop computer appeared before her. She began typing furiously upon the glowing keys.   
  
"Well, we have a life form and ladies, it is Juraian!"  
  
"Let me in!" Ryoko flew toward what seemed to be the door of the pod. Her heart skipped a beat when she heard the word Juraian. Her Tenchi could be in there, he could be….alive. She clenched her right hand into a tight ball and with a zip and a whiff of ozone, her orange light saber appeared as she made her way to slash open the pod door. She stopped dead in her tracks a foot from the porthole.   
  
Blood. Four bright red streaks smeared upon the glass of the window brought all Ryoko's hope to a screeching halt. She extinguished her sword and with a shaking hand, fingered the crimson marks. She shivered as she examined the stain on her finger and she knew. Ryoko knew this was Tenchi's blood. She did not understand how, but she knew. And with that realization, the woman fell to her knees.   
  
"Ryoko?" Washu popped off of the cushion and made her way to the pod, she also saw the blood. She examined the door carefully and found what appeared to be a release lever and she moved it slowly.   
  
With a rush of steam, the door opened. Washu and Mihoshi strained to make out the figure seated behind all the haze. When it had cleared, there sat the Princess crying softly.  
  
"Ayeka!" Mihoshi ran to the Princess' aid after she had placed little Ryo-Ohki on her shoulder. "Let me help you out…..are you hurt?"  
  
"…….Uh…..no….." she replied.  
  
Mihoshi undid the restraints allowing Ayeka to slip feebly out of the craft. The Princess was bruised and weak so she held tightly to Mihoshi's arm.  
  
"T….Thank you, Mihoshi……Washu?" Ayeka's pleaded with Washu in one last hope that she was not the only one rescued. The scientis'ts eyes confirmed her worst fears.  
  
"Ryoko?" Ayeka saw the pirate kneeling beside her in silence. Ryoko kept her head down, not wanting to see the truth in the princess' eyes. "Ryoko?" She repeated, pleading for comfort, herself. Ayeka knelt down to Ryoko's level and finally caught her eyes. The pirate was in tears.  
  
The two rivals embraced and the floodwalls were released. Tear of loss and pain struck the metal floor as Ryoko and Ayeka consoled each other the only way they knew how, by sharing their mutual grief. 


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4:  
  
Butterflies tickled the pit of his stomach. This was bad, real, real bad. He then noticed the cool, green grass that brushed the side of his right ear and he glanced toward the woman lying beside him. Wind softly flew over their bodies bringing with it a soothing relief from the summer heat. Summer. It seemed as though they would never survive the winter with all the bickering and fighting in the house. Survive they did, but if the Princess caught them enjoying one moment alone, they surely would catch nine levels of hell from her.  
  
It wasn't that he intended to be anywhere alone with any one of the girls. Working the fields and daydreaming summed up the activities planned for that particular day. Overcome with laziness or plain adolescence prevented him from completing the chores his grandpa decreed would make him a warrior. He just ended up goofing off on the side of the hill that day. It was beautifully sunny and warm, not too hot, but a pleasantly comfortable. Lunch had been eaten and the remnants of this carefully prepared fare lay strewn about the grass. He smiled and tried to pick animals out of the clouds as he gazed up toward the perfect blue sky. Perfect. Yes, that was all that day could ever and forever be to him-perfect.  
  
Naturally lost in his daydreams, Tenchi never noticed her stealthy advance until she was standing above him. She cast her shadow upon his body, causing him to open his eyes in dread. She was about to maul him-again. However, to his surprise, Ryoko simple sat down to his right, leaned back and tried to figure out what in the sky was taking his attention away from his chores.   
  
"Uh, Ryoko?" He stammered. "Maybe.....uh......I should get....back to work...."  
  
"You don't have to leave on my account, Teeeeennnccchhhiii...." Not an ounce of seduction lost from her voice.  
  
He turned to her. Like he, she was clad in denim shorts, but she, true to her nature, also wore a pretty tight and revealing short t-shirt.   
  
"Red." He thought. "She wears a lot of red."  
  
Ryoko rest her right arm under her mane of blue hair and squinted as she regarded this cloud and that. He watched her as her bare feet made tiny circles in the grass-she was obviously enjoying the cool feel of the grass on her toes.   
  
"She could be such a smart-ass sometimes..." He thought. "But now.....there's something totally 'soft' about her...."  
  
"Don't mind me, I promise I won't try to molest you now." She uttered without a shred of mischievousness. " .....unless you want me to, that is."   
  
"It's just that....that..." He always stammered around her. "It's such a quiet day, and you know how Ayeka is....well......"  
  
"Jealous of our love? Insane? Bitchimous maximus?"  
  
"No! But, Ryoko, listen, I just can't put up with another fight between you two, not today......please?"  
  
"So you want me to leave?" She started to get angry. "Can't I enjoy your company?"  
  
"Ryoko, it's not like that and you know it." He whispered. "I would be grateful to enjoy your company here alone......and Ayeka's company alone too....but you two....you two can't handle it! It's insane how you always suppose just because I'm alone with one something is going to happen....you know?"  
  
"Well, I don't care if you are alone with her. There. I know my place in this family." She sneered and turned her face toward him.  
  
"Well, maybe you could persuade her to follow your example....I just need some peace."  
  
"Tenchi?"  
  
"Hmmmm?"  
  
"Did you realize that we have spent five minutes alone together and there have been no fights or disturbances of your peace......well, except me and you bickering. Seems like that was just a big waste of our time. Why don't you let me do the worrying about Ayeka being mad and just stay here and I'll be quiet WITH you for a change."  
  
"Well, I'd like that....I really would." He smiled but he was still nervous that allowing them to just share each other's company would stir up a big fight. Suddenly, he just decided to take his chances.  
  
How long did they stay there? Who knows? They contemplated the sounds of nature, the birds in the woods, the chirping insects and even a lawnmower humming far off in the distance. The earth cradled them in complete contentment and the sky looming high above them seemed endless.  
Tenchi felt a tickle-a bug or dust settling on his nose- so he raised his right hand to swipe it away. When he sat his hand back down on the grass he inadvertently grazed the soft skin of her left hand. She blushed. He slowly inched his hand away, hoping she would not notice, but knowing she would. That was when she did it. He knew calling a truce on her lust for him would be against her character, so, when she interlaced the fingers of her left hand with his right it came as a sort of shock. It was as if he was plunged head first into the frigid water of the north Atlantic...in December! To his surprise, he was not angry at that intrusion, it seemed natural-friendly even. She squeezed his fingers and did not turn to him, but she maintained her gaze upon the sky. He let her hold his hand, there on the cool grass on that beautiful June day. They were simply two friends, lying on hill, making pictures out of clouds as the time passed by.  
  
Ayeka did find them. A fight did ring through the hills and carry on to that evening. Ryoko even poked her head through Ayeka's door to throw a verbal assault upon the Princess that night. But...that was normal, a normal day at the Masaki home.  
  
****  
  
"Lord Tenchi?"   
  
"Yes, Ayeka?"  
  
"I was wondering...." She demurely lowered her gaze to the ground.   
  
"Yes?" Tenchi answered as he cheerfully swept cherry blossoms from the stars that led up the mountain to the Masaki Shrine.  
  
"You see, there is a, an item that I need to purchase in town...."  
  
"You want me to ask dad to take you?"  
  
"No, I...I...." She stammered, "Never mind, I'm sorry I bothered you." She turned to make her way to the house.  
  
"Wait!" The boy stopped her. "Ayeka, you can tell me...."  
  
"It's just, well, I don't have any Earth money. How pathetic am I. You give me shelter and I still ask for more....."  
  
"Nonsense! You never put us out! C'mon, what do you want to buy? I've got some allowance saved up."  
  
"It's nothing, just, just I've read every book in your house...twice..."  
  
"You want a new book? Why didn't you say so! We can take the bus to the bookstore, or do you want me to ask Dad for a ride?"  
  
"You, you want to go with me?"  
  
"Sure!" He smiled. "I'd like to get something to read too. I didn't know you read so much....and I'm ashamed our collection at the house is mostly my dad's, let's just say 'colorful' manga collection." He chuckled.  
  
"Yes, unfortunately."  
  
"You should have said something earlier. C'mon, let's go!"  
  
"But Tenchi? Your chores?"  
  
"I won't tell if you won't."  
  
"Deal. I will pay you back for the book, Lord Tenchi."  
  
"Silly, you already have!" He smiled and grabbed her wrist and they both ran down the stairs to the house.  
  
The sun dipped precariously low in the horizon as the Masaki family minivan pulled into the driveway later that evening.   
  
"Thanks for the ride, Dad!" Tenchi waved to his father as he and Ayeka exited the van. "We'll be on the deck."  
  
"Well, I think Sasami will have dinner ready soon, I'll send someone out to get you two."  
  
Tenchi and Ayeka strolled side by side toward the deck of the Masaki residence. He ushered her to sit and he joined her on the edge of the wooden platform next to the waters of the lake. He unrolled the top of a bag he was carrying and produced two books.   
  
"Here you go." He handed a volume to the Princess. "I want to read that when you're done."   
  
"Sure." She blushed and took the book.  
  
The two sat in silence reading together by the fading light of the day until they had to squint to see the print. A shimmering dragonfly zoomed past their feet, now dangling in the cool water. The oncoming night stole all the reading light and soon they retired inside to enjoy dinner with the rest of the family.  
  
***  
  
Tenchi realized that he was traveling at an extremely fast speed. The force of the pod's propulsion as well as the bumpy lurches tossing his injured body about ripped him from his happy dreams of family life back on Earth. He hadn't noticed that as soon as he ejected from the ship, it had exploded. He merrily dreamed away as the wave of energy after the implosion carried the pod like a surfboard faster and faster to the farthest reaches of space. He was now so far from where he had come, but he didn't realize that until the planet appeared in the porthole.  
  
"What?" He mumbled weakly still clutching his bleeding side. Tenchi also was cold, so terribly and painfully cold. He hoped that he could see what that planet looked like, and hoped and prayed that it was warm.  
  
The giant orb rotated slowly, heated by two suns. Wispy, horse-tailed clouds adorned its atmosphere. Tenchi could make out a few dark blue patches of water, small oceans or seas resting upon huge brown land masses. The pod, caught now in the large planet's gravitational pull, began its descent through the upper atmosphere. The boy leaned back in the chair and exhaled.   
  
"How beautiful." He thought as he watched the blue atmosphere turn to brown as the pod approached the surface of the planet. "Like home......." He uttered as he lost consciousness once more, just in time for the landing systems to kick in, but not totally preventing a rough landing. The craft made contact with the pale sand ground of the planet and ricochet across a dune and finally coming to rest on its side by an outcropping of rocks. Steam billowed from its exhaust in a great climbing cloud, a cloud that caught the attention of a slight figure standing on a distant dune. 


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5:  
  
  
  
The former space pirate, destroyer of nations, fiend and demon caller, Ryoko sat high atop a tree overlooking the Masaki house. Listlessly, she thought of the carefree days that could never be recaptured. Days of fighting with Ayeka, of trying her best to seduce Tenchi, and otherwise causing mayhem and fun were over. Done. Finished. Six months elapsed since the destruction of the Ganali ship. For three months solid, she had searched with the others, searched for any sign of life – or death of her Tenchi. Nothing. Not a speck, not a trace of the boy or the Tenchiken had been found. She and Ayeka returned to Earth to confirm the bad news to the rest of the family who had clung to the tiniest hope that their son, grandson and best friend was still alive. Now, the uncertainty was worse than acknowledgment of death. But, to Ryoko, there was no uncertainty. Death was a reality because she could no longer 'feel' his presence; therefore, he must be gone. This reality numbed her mind, body and soul, if there was such a thing as a soul within her. If Tenchi had been there, he would have reassured her, forced her to believe that within her lurked a wondrous soul, the soul of a warrior, of a predator, and also of a kind and loving friend. But now, now, she doubted there was anything within her but waste and a bioengineered mass of cells created for destruction…like Kagato always told her.  
  
Strangely enough, Ryoko and Ayeka had taken some comfort in each other's loss. They no longer fought. The pirate sighed at the thought of them ever fighting-it just seemed silly now that there was nothing to fight over. They tried, oh they did try to keep up a semblance of that old existence, but it was not the same as before. They were there, alone, trying to keep the delicate balance of the family together. Sasami had taken the news the worst. Ryoko saw the torn look in the little girl's eyes….searching, always searching for an answer, probably from Tsunami, who evidently was not giving it up. Ayeka had practically interrogated the poor child for days, trying to eek out some information from the goddess within her, but not even the child's dreams held any proof that the boy still existed. Ayeka told her that she knew that Tsunami was holding back for some reason; otherwise, she would have confirmed his death. The Princess held onto that belief like a treasured jewel, and for now, that was the only thing helping her retain her sanity. Grandfather bit his lip and held his composure, as usual, when they returned to Earth. He now spent most of his days at the shrine, although Ryoko indulged him in a sparring match on occasion, but the two never spoke of Tenchi. Nobouyuki was not as strong. The man, who had lost his wife years earlier and now his son, took no relish in living among the girls or staying in the big house anymore. He poured most of his energy into his work and in six months had risen to the top of his firm and was very highly sought out to design multimillion dollar buildings. He had left them, saying only that they stay as long as they wish but indicating that he could no longer stay in the house that caused him to have so many memories.  
  
Mihoshi came by almost weekly on her patrol. She had found Dr. Clay and somehow bumbled into capturing him. It seems that on his excursion to kidnap Ryoko and win back the favor of Tokimi, he had gained capitol by plundering a few ships owned by some not so happy Jurain nobles. These angry Juraians pressured the Galaxy Police into making his capture a number one priority and Mihoshi stepped up to that task. She did find him and his ship, and all artifacts were confiscated by the GP but only after Mihoshi had caused great destruction. Ryoko wondered often if the blonde had fumbled her way to Clay and in her own clumsy way caused so much damage to his ship, or, did the sweet, blue-eyed officer intentionally carry out her own justice upon the person who really caused Tenchi's death? It didn't matter, because, after his injuries healed, Clay was returned to a freshly vacuum sealed subspace cell monitored and maintained by the Galaxy Police. With Washu's help in creating this nice new prison, Dr. Clay would spend the rest of his days there pondering how his plan went so wrong.  
  
  
  
Washu worked tirelessly in her lab. She had just returned in Ryo- Oohki from another deep space mission to the sector the Ganali Ship had exploded in an attempt to triangulate the possible trajectory of the second pod after the implosion. She had made so many trips to that one spot in space that it necessitated the creation of a subspace portal and monitoring station. She had shown these to the remaining family a few weeks ago and Ryoko guessed that this station, deep in space, was where the red haired child now focused her energy. Time was meaningless to little Washu. She seemed to neither require sleep nor food. And, she was quite snippy and mean, probably from the lack of both rest and nourishment. So, everyone left her to her work. On occasion she briefed them on her findings which consisted mostly that no trace of the gems in the Tenchiken could be disseminated nor could she find Tenchi's astral or biometrical patterns in any debris in space in that region, but that didn't mean much. He could have been slurped into an alternate dimension by the implosion or simply disintegrated by the blast so that not even the common elements were left. Ryoko hated that thought.  
  
Nothing was the same or would it ever be. Ryoko grew tired of aimlessly moving her body from one room of the house to the next. None of her beloved pastimes such as sleeping, bathing or drinking held any amusement. She had no feelings left inside her except for sorrow. The pirate had become so desperate for a feeling other than sadness that she had taken a few steps into self destruction. On one occasion, she had intentionally left herself open during one of her practice sessions with Lord Yosho and the astonished old man had left a six inch gash in her side with his wooden bokken. Of course she healed quickly, as was her nature but she cursed herself for not dying. On another occasion she stole away into town one Saturday night and found herself in a bar in a seedy section. There, she discovered new and wondrous spirits and liquors, of course lavished upon her by some local men who where smitten by her exotic beauty and ability to pack it away. She allowed herself to get drunk, and allowed herself to be taken home by a faceless man. Later she pretended, or tried to pretend he was Tenchi as she allowed herself to spend the night with him. Ryoko hoped for a feeling from that experience, a feeling like shame, embarrassment, heck, even lust or love-anything to override her overwhelming emotion of pain and sorrow. But it didn't help, she still felt exactly the same if not a little hung over.  
  
Now, she sat, reclining on a limb of a stupid old tree and she thought about what her future held and how she would ever find someone as kind and sweet as Tenchi. Softly and suddenly, a tune played in her head. The music and lyrics wafted through her mind as she watched the sun slowly set behind the mountains.  
  
(Garbage #1 Crush):  
  
I would die for you  
  
I would die for you  
  
I've been dying just to feel you by my side  
  
To know that you're mine  
  
I will cry for you  
  
I will cry for you  
  
I will wash away your pain with all my tears  
  
And drown your fear  
  
I will pray for you  
  
I will pray for you  
  
I will sell my soul for something pure and true  
  
Someone like you  
  
See your face every place that I walk in  
  
Hear your voice every time that I'm talking  
  
You will believe in me  
  
And I will never be ignored  
  
I will burn for you  
  
Feel pain for you  
  
I will twist the knife and bleed my aching heart  
  
And tear it apart  
  
I will lie for you  
  
Beg and steal for you  
  
I will crawl on hands and knees until you see  
  
That you're just like me  
  
Violate all the love that I'm missing  
  
Throw away all the pain that I'm living  
  
You will believe in me  
  
And I can never be ignored  
  
I would die for you  
  
I would kill for you  
  
I would steal for you  
  
I will wait for you  
  
I'd make room for you  
  
I'd sink ships for you  
  
Take the cross to you  
  
To be part of you  
  
Cause I believe in you  
  
I believe in you  
  
I would die for you.  
  
  
  
Ayeka sat demurely upon Tenchi's bed as she admired the setting sun through the big round window. Six months ago she would never had had the courage to enter this room with or without his presence, but now, since she had returned to Earth, the princess took up residence in it. Ayeka expected protest from Ryoko, but the pirate didn't bother to fight with her over her staying or sleeping in Tenchi's room. She felt it was her duty to keep it as he had it before this hell began, so she kept his room and his possessions in immaculate order awaiting the boy's return. Well, that was mostly Washu's doing, since the little scientist did take the time to reconstruct the house to its original existence after Clay's ship destroyed it. "That ship." She thought. "That ship came for her. If not for her, Tenchi would not have pushed to come to her rescue…..he would not have….died….." No, she could think about him dying, but the Princess never uttered a word confirming his death. She deluded herself with thoughts of him still being alive, somewhere, trying to return to her….or to Ryoko…at this point, she didn't care who he wanted as long as he came back. Now, she relished this room and breathed in each night the sweet smell of the boy left on his pillow as she rested her own head upon it.  
  
The Princess sighed as the last bit of light faded from the day and the room was bathed in blue darkness of the dusk. Ryoko would be returning soon. She didn't stay out late anymore, not since a few weekends ago. Ayeka was startled by her sister, little Sasami, lurking in the open doorway.  
  
"Sasami?"  
  
The little girl ran away. She didn't spend much time Ayeka anymore, not since she had tried to force Tsunami into telling her about Tenchi. Sasami begged the goddess everyday to tell her what happened but either Tsunami really didn't know or was not going to share it with the child. Secretly, Sasami had meditated, chanted, prayed, and invented play 'spells' in an attempt to hasten her assimilation with the goddess. The child was sure that once she and Tsunami became one for good and for real, she would have all the answers she needed and could set the family's mind to rest….she could especially win back the trust and love of her sister, Ayeka. The little girl, with sad, pink eyes and blue pig tails truly believed that her sister hated her because she couldn't give her any answers and because of this, a terrible hate loomed in her own heart, a hate for the goddess she would soon become.  
  
"Sasami!" Don't run from me, please?" Ayeka leapt up to the doorway and after her sister. The girl had taken refuge in her room, grabbing hapless little Ryo-Ooki for protection. The furry animal hissed and spat at Ayeka as she entered the room.  
  
"Sasami! Please. I'm not going to grill you. I've just been thinking about something, and I want to talk it over with you."  
  
"I…I…I don't want to talk to you." She sniffed and clutched Ryo-Ooki to her chest.  
  
"Miya!" The cabbit yelled a cry of caution to the Princess.  
  
"Oh, hush, you!" Ayeka knelt at her sister's side. "Sasami, I've been thinking that it was time that we…that we returned to Jurai. I've already spoken with mother and father and they agree that it is best."  
  
"But Ayeka….."  
  
"And, father says that no expense will be spared as to us using Jurai's resources to find Lord Tenchi…."  
  
"But Ayeka…."  
  
"Further, Azaka and Kamidake assure me that the Ryo-Ooh has been restored enough to allow our return to Jurai…..and…..and….."  
  
"Sister…"  
  
"…and, I simply….cannot live here in this empty house…anymore…." The princess wept into her hands.  
  
"But Ayeka…"  
  
"What? What are you telling me?"  
  
"But…." The little girl cried. "But, when he comes back….he'll be all alone…."  
  
"Oh, honey." Ayeka held her sister, Ryo-Ohki and all.  
  
  
  
******************************  
  
Author's notes:  
  
Well, can you tell that I let my prescription to Prozac run out or what? Yes, I'm a little bit depressed and that flows out of my head in the form of this chapter. Don't worry, I plan to kick it up a notch soon and I have a plot twist that I've never read in any other Tenchi fic that I think you will enjoy! Toodles! 


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6:  
  
Sasami struggled in her sleep. Another bad dream. She had grown quite used to them since everyone became aware that she and the Goddess Tsunami were one and the same. The child worried at first she would lose her identity, an existence only the love of her new family and especially her big sister, Ayeka convinced her was real. She was still little Sasami Jurai who fell to her death after Ryoko's attack on that planet some seven hundred years ago. She still held the same pure heart that the Goddess Tsunami resurrected so long ago and in the process, ensured that the two beings, child and divinity, would merge into one. That final assimilation had not occurred, much to her relief; and even though the Goddess, whose thoughts always echoed in the back of Sasami's mind, told her she would still be Sasami, the child had her doubts.  
  
"Tenchi?" She uttered and clenched the fabric of her pillow. Her freckled nose crinkled and a look of fright came upon her face as she slept. This was the same horrible dream she had been having for such a long time. She was very little, her long blue hair was only tiny pigtails and she toddled toward the room in which the royal trees were kept. She didn't even hear her nanny calling for her, nor did she hear the cries of panic as Ryo-Oki's blasts pummeled the palace and city. Nothing could keep her from visiting the trees that day. Her nanny had promised she could go visit the very biggest tree that after noon-if she took her nap. Sasami was so excited that she flew from her bed, not waiting for her guardian, and ran toward the tree room. At the same time, Ryoko, under Kagato's control imposed fiery hell in the form of photonic blasts from her ship Ryo-Ohki. Her mission: to destroy as many as she needed and capture the tree/ship Tsunami, the first tree of Jurai.   
  
Sasami made her way toward the royal tree room. It was enormous and contained multi levels of environments and habitats for the magical trees which formed the source of Jurai power and from which all royal space ships and their keys originated. The child loved to visit the most beautiful and grandest tree in the tree room, the first tree, Tsunami. No one could remember where Tsunami came from, she had always been there. Her offspring became the first generation of tree ships used by the nobility to protect the planet Jurai. The room was filled with many other magic trees, also Tsunami's offspring from which the second and third generation of Jurai ships were created. None of these other trees mattered to the blue-haired child - today she was to visit the first tree.  
  
The little girl made it to the entrance level and took a molecular portal to a lower level. She couldn't remember where Tsunami was. It didn't matter, she was the Second Princess of Jurai, she had all the time in her young life to find the glorious tree.   
  
"Hi!" The child squeaked at a nameless, but none-the-less beautiful tree to her right. But that wasn't HER tree, so she was about to move on to find Tsunami when Ryoko struck the palace.   
  
The initial jolt from the pirate ship's blast caused a concussion wave that exploded an exterior wall of the tree room. The explosion made the poor child lose her footing. She flailed her tiny hands at the wooden railings but could not grasp it. Sasami fell hundreds of feet to the hard ground below.  
  
Her next recollection was that she was no longer a baby but her present age. Still, barely a teenager, the girl lay in a growing pool of her own red blood. Excruciating pain surged through her young body as she felt her life expire. Before she exhausted herself, a bright light and a form of comfort materialized before her. It was Tenchi Masaki.  
  
"Sasami?" He implored as he reached for her hand. The child painfully tried to grasp it.   
  
Tenchi's never made contact with her hand. Before she could feel his comforting warmth, his body was suddenly transported another arms length away from her.   
  
"Tenchi! No!" She cried.  
  
Suddenly, a gigantic hand, a female hand, wrapped itself around Tenchi's body and began to drag him away from Sasami.   
  
"No! Don't take him! Don't take him from me! Please!"  
  
Tenchi was gone. In his place stood the stern image of a beautiful woman, a woman with glassy cold eyes. She smiled and disappeared.  
  
"Tenchi! No! Please don't leave me! Please! Tokimi!" Sasami screamed and violently raised herself up on her futon.  
  
"Ayeka?" She sobbed and looked for her sister. "Ryoko? Mihoshi?" The other girls were not in their room, she was alone, not even Ryo-Ohki was there to comfort her. Tenchi? She wanted to go to Tenchi, he would make the bad memories go away….but….Tenchi wasn't there either. Sasami wailed through her tears and ran for the door, she knew where her friends were and desperately needed to find comfort in them.  
  
*****  
  
Ryoko slouched down in the hot water of the onsen so that it was inches below her lower lip. She fully intended to stay submerged all night and all day if need be. She also intended to get quite drunk. She didn't, however, expect to be interrupted by Ayeka. The princess uttered not a word, but quietly slipped her pale body into the warmth of the waters. She let out a depressed sigh and held out her hand to the Pirate as she motioned for some sake. Ryoko rose up and poured a small cup of the liquor and offered it to the princess. Ayeka, instead, grasped the mostly full sake bottle, leaving Ryoko a bit dumbfounded as she downed a big gulp directly from the bottle.   
  
"THAT was not very lady-like." Ryoko smirked.   
  
"I've come to realize I don't have to act like a lady around YOU….at least….not anymore."  
  
"Hey Princess?" An evil grin spread across the pirate's face. "You wanna fight?" She stood up, her naked body glistening as the onsen water rolled off. Ryoko outspread the fingers of both her hands and tiny yellow and orange sparks flew.  
  
"I'm not in the mood, but thanks for trying to cheer me up." Ayeka didn't give Ryoko a second look and she took another swig from the sake bottle.  
  
"You're no fun." Ryoko pouted as she plopped back down into the water. "You better slow down."  
  
"I don't plan to stop until it is gone. I hope you have some for yourself."  
  
"Are you kidding?" As she spoke another bottle materialized in her right hand. "Since we are doing away with formalities…." Ryoko raised the bottle to Ayeka and they toasted each other. They both downed more sake.  
  
"Ryoko."  
  
"Hmmm?"  
  
"Sasami and I are leaving tomorrow…..we are going home."  
  
"Home, eh? I thought this was your home." She growled.  
  
"At one time, yes, it was. Now, now I can't stand to think of it as ever my home."  
  
"I understand……Ayeka?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I…I don't….." Ryoko stammered.  
"What?"  
  
"I….gods, if you laugh at me, I'm gonna sock you….but, I don't want you to go." She plunked back down in the water so that her eyes were just above the waterline.  
  
"Ryoko."  
  
The pirate answered by blowing bubbles and then raising up again.  
  
"Ryoko, perhaps you can come with me?" She already knew that was a bad idea.  
  
"Come on, I don't think your people will exactly roll out the welcome mat for me, you know……."  
  
"Well, I'm inviting you, anyway…..hussy….." Ayeka smiled.  
  
"Priss….."  
  
They both looked at each other and laughed.  
  
"Ayeka, I have a great idea. Please think about this, seriously."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Before you leave, before you give up and go home to mommy and daddy….let's have one more adventure, together, just like old times, like before…"  
  
"With Tenchi?" The princess finished.  
  
"Bingo. What do you say? Let's go back to Washu's station and give that area one last look see. We'll make it a long trip back, no portals so we can make some pit stops at a planet here and there."  
  
"I don't know…."  
  
"Come on! It will be fun, just the two of us….you can go in disguise, we can both be outlaws!"  
  
"What will be fun?" Mihoshi's cheerful voice piped in.  
  
"Uh?" Ryoko stammered again.  
  
"Miss Ryoko? Are you planning a space trip? Can I come too?" Her bulbous blue eyes pleaded.  
  
"We may need her, you know…." Ayeka whispered.  
  
"Yeah, we'll need her to haul our carcasses back home after she blows the station up." Ryoko replied softly. "Ok, Mihoshi, you can come, only if you can get clearance from the GP."  
  
"Oh, that's no problem!" The blond ripped her pink towel off and plopped her tanned body into the water.   
  
"What's this?" Washu made her presence known as Ryo-Ohki hopped to the waters edge to be next to her master, Ryoko. "You girls aren't planning one last hurrah without little Washu, are you?"  
  
"N,n,n,no, Miss Washu." Ayeka babbled.   
  
"Sure! You can come too!" Mihoshi squealed.  
  
"Oh, brother." Ryoko whined.  
  
Suddenly, little Sasami ran into the room crying. She was rubbing her eyes and tripped, falling flat on her front.   
  
"Sasami!" Ayeka yelled and leapt out of the pool, she grabbed a towel and ran to her sister.   
  
"Sister!" The child rose up, gulping between sobs.  
  
"Sasami, what's happened?" Ayeka held the frightened child.  
  
"Bad…bad…dream…Tenchi….." She sobbed.  
  
"That's alright. It will be alright. You see?" She raised Sasami's head up so she could see her bright pink eyes. "You see, we are going to try to find him…one… last…time."  
  
Sasami smiled. 


	7. Chapter 7

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Author's notes:  
  
OMG, I'm so tickled that some of my favorite author's have taken the time to review my story. I hope I don't disappoint! Anyway, the next chapter will delve into the ladies ongoing search for Tenchi and give you a sneak peak into some new characters. I don't really like the introduction of too many new characters in Tenchi fics, but to get across the "meat" of my story, it is unavoidable. It's gonna get strange, so bear with me. Warm your sake now, sit back and stay a spell.  
  
******************************************  
  
Chapter 7:  
  
Sand billowed about as far as the crowd could see. It didn't matter. They still came for the games, sandstorm or no. The permanent stone platform spread wide across the dry lakebed was littered with jesters and prospective combatants. Thronging the playing field on all four sides, the people in all manner of dress and disposition gathered to view the carnage and make their bets.  
  
"Next fight! Next fight" The crowd chanted in unison between the puffs of wind born sand. The scattering of contestants and entertainers disbursed from the playing field leaving only two figures standing.  
  
One creature stood at least eight feet tall. His body was covered with bits and pieces of mismatched and corroded body armor. His alien features resembled a mix between the dull, dimwitted countenance of an ape and the slow, deliberate face of a camel. Most of his height consisted of a long, sinewy torso with equally long arms which extended almost to the ground. On each of his fur covered hands, were four gnarled fingers. By comparison to the rest of his body, the animal's legs were disproportionately short, causing him to lumber about the battle field. However, the camel-man carried on his back at least five wooden spears with gray metal tips-dispelling any first impression that he was an oaf, despite his appearance. In each of his hands he held a long sword. The creature's superior upper body strength allowed him to exorcise the use of both arms in a way to maneuver these huge weapons as if they were light daggers. He snorted as he faced his opponent.  
  
"Hey! I want my money back! This fight is not fairly matched!" A dirty man yelled from the bleachers. He was referring to the diminutive size of the camel-man's opponent.  
  
The second combatant stood calmly facing camel-man. He too, was covered in a hodge-podge of mismatched armor. He stood a little over five feet tall and what skin was showing through his battered armor, was definitely not covered with fur. The second warriors face was covered by an ornate metal mask which was hardly as threatening as the beast before him. The intricate metal working of this covering gave the illusion of a demon yelling and this gladiator carried a single sword, a metal long sword with a golden hilt.  
  
"You gonna die!" The camel-man screamed as he lunged toward the other opponent. The shorter man stood calmly and waited for his advance. The beast raised one sword and then the next to pummel his foe with successive slices of the grimy blades.   
  
Instead of dodging this assault, the other warrior calmly countered each strike by deflecting with his own sword in movements so quick, they stunned the camel-man. Not daunted, the creature spun around, flailing the swords in an attempt to slice his opponent. Again, the man neither flinched nor moved, but deflected the blows. He let out of sigh of boredom as the camel-man stepped back to reassess his method of attack. He decided that the double barrel long swords were not intimidating this little man, so, better use his weapon of choice-a long spear. He dropped the swords and grabbed a spear. Camel-man grinned, showing rows of blackened teeth and he set off in a jot toward the other warrior.   
  
The two met again in close combat. Camel-man jabbed unsuccessfully at the smaller man's mid section, each blow deflected easily. On the fifth or sixth attempt, the small man grabbed the end of the spear with his left hand. The lumbering giant pulled and tugged but could not get it loose from the other man's grasp. He let go and reached back to grab another spear. As he did, a strange sensation flew over his body, the sensation of falling backwards as his opponent used his own spear to knock him off his feet. In an instant, the smaller creature was standing upon camel-man's chest, holding his own spear on his throat. The warrior smiled and sheathed his golden sword and then resumed his grip upon the spear held on camel-man's throat.  
  
"Kill! Kill! Kill!" The crowd chanted. The smaller warrior raised his gaze toward the throngs of chanting observers.  
  
"Finish him! OOOOOh boy! I'm rich!" Yelled the same dirty man.  
  
The warrior turned his face toward his fallen opponent and smiled…then drove the spear through camel-man's throat. The fallen creature let out a quiet moan and then gurgled slightly as he expired. The winner ripped the spear out and flung it aside-leaving a trickle of green blood as it flew. The man slowly walked off the body of camel-man and calmly exited the battle field.  
  
"Rich! Rich! I tell you! You have made me rich!" A pudgy man wearing a dirty robe rushed to the winner's side. "You are my lucky charm, little man!"  
  
"Luck had nothing to do with this….that guy was right, it was a mismatched fight. That oaf had no skill or technique." He removed his gloves and sat down on a bench to remove some of his grimy armor. "Really Gento, If you want me to improve, like you say, you are going to have to give me something worthy to fight…..I could have won that fight unconscious!"   
  
"Calm down, calm down, my boy….we have a new match next week. Some fresh meat and from what I hear, some really tough ones too. Oh, my boy! You are worth every penny I've spent for you! Let's get back to the compound. I want to train you some more before the days out." He bundled up the warror's armor and ushered the man to leave with him.  
  
"Train? After fighting all day?"  
  
"Don't back talk me," he smiled, "remember, I have the key to that thing you wear."  
  
"Yes, you do." The man fingered his mask. It was a necessary burden: it kept the wondering eyes from knowing he was terribly different; and it also kept Gento's position as his master. The warrior strained to remember just how this had all come to be, how he had become the greatest Krta gladiator in the land quadrant. He pondered upon Gento for a moment. He never could get used to his strange appearance. He was short, to begin with, and his face carried a deceivingly pleasant expression at all times. It was this false façade that led the man to believe that he would be a kindly master when Gento purchased him so long ago. He shrugged and followed him out of the stadium.  
  
He ached to remove the mask. The warrior had long grown used to relieving his itches by contorting his facial muscles. He also longed to rid himself of the metal buckle which constantly dug into his scalp. Weekly, Gento allowed him to remove the mask in seclusion, after the household servants had left, so that he could bathe. In retrospect, that was pretty humane of the old man, considering most Mgnis or strong arm owners, never removed their warriors masks in an effort to toughen or "mean" them up. Heck, most Mgnis only fed their wards raw meat and blood too, so in that sense, this warrior was pretty pampered. Gento was about the wealthiest man in the sector. His household lacked for nothing and in this land where water was scarce, he had full service hot springs and wading pools at his family's disposal.   
  
"Tak!" Gento's voice boomed from down the marble hallway.   
  
"Coming!" The warrior replied. He always felt slighted at his given name. Tak, was an indigenous word for what he was, a strong arm warrior. Gento never bothered to give him a proper name, a name like Dag the wicked, or Meliton the Bloody. Other warriors had such names, but his, his always would be plain old Tak. "Oh, well," he thought, "at least no one else in this household has that name….not until I'm killed in competition."  
  
***  
  
Ryoko exhaled violently. She was not about to let up. Not now, not ever. She, the greatest space pirate in the universe would win, she always did….well, except for that one time….700 years ago.   
  
"NO WAY! You cheated!" She snarled and slammed her fists down on the chess board, causing all the pieces to scatter to the floor. A slightly confused Mihoshi blinked wide eyed at the opposite end of the board.  
  
"No, Ryoko, I didn't. You just missed at least two, no three opportunities to put me in check. So, I was able to maneuver my rook…"  
  
"Stop it!" She raged. "There is no way you could have beat me!"  
  
"Ryoko, I…"  
  
"Actually, little Ryoko, you did miss three chances to take her out, you can review the game on the monitor, if you like. I'm saving it for posterity, you know!" Washu chimed in.  
  
"Can it…..moooommm!" The pirate left the bubbly blonde and red haired child and went to gaze out into space.  
  
"Good job, Mihoshi!" Sasami winked.   
  
"Oh, these Earth games are fun! I love chess, and checkers, and Parcheesi, and poker…"  
  
"Poker, eh?" Washu raised her eyebrow.   
  
"Sasami, we will orbit the planet in the morning, you need to go to bed." Ayeka strolled into the command room of Ryo-Ohki.   
  
"But, Ayeka!" The child complained.  
  
"No buts! Remember, you agreed to keep your earth bedtime in exchange for your coming with us."  
  
"Oh, alright, but I don't have to like it!" She trudged toward far wall. "Good night everybody….good night Ryo-Ohki." The little girl stood before a blank wall. Suddenly, a black portal emerged and she walked into it. As soon as she was gone, the portal disappeared.   
  
"Miya!" Ryo-Oki answered.  
  
"Washu, Mihoshi, this planet, is it part of the Jurai confederation?" Ayeka turned toward the others.  
  
"Well, let me see….." Mihoshi twisted her Galaxy Police issue bracelet and a holographic screen appeared she read out loud. "Planet A-34zb. Nitrogen/Oxygen atmosphere. Mostly an aquatic environment…..Ayeka, it says that there are several GP undercover envoys there, but it is considered too underdeveloped to become part of the alliance of planets…..like Earth!"   
  
"They know you're here don't they?" Ryoko asked.  
  
"Well, I asked the commander if I could patrol this sector for Tenchi once more time. He said I could investigate. I guess they don't know I'm actually going to investigate on the planet, but they don't know I'm not gonna do it either, so it works out both ways…."  
  
"Huh?" Washu pondered.   
  
"So, you basically LIED to 'em?" The pirate smirked.   
  
"Oh, no! How could you say that? I LOVE my job. I told my commander exactly what we were doing, he just doesn't listen to EVERYTHING I say……I can't help that…" Mihoshi giggled.  
  
"Hmmmmm, not so dim after all, eh Ryoko?" Washu winked.  
  
***  
  
She was having that dream….again. This time, she was not so little. Sasami walked upon a dark floor of glass and she took ginger baby steps just to be careful. The room was also cloaked in darkness, not a single thread of light gave her any comfort as she slowly crept across the glass floor. Suddenly, the floor gave way with a sickening crack. The young girl fell through the glass, cutting her leg and back in the process. Wack! This was the sickening sound produced as her body made contact with the ground a great distance below. Again, the child lay dying in an ever growing pool of her own blood and her pitiful gaze came to rest upon her kind friend, Tenchi.  
  
"Tenchi! Don't leave me this time….." She uttered.  
  
The boy knelt and reached for her. Sasami didn't bother to return his gesture, but stared into his chocolate brown eyes and pleaded for the events to go differently than deep in her heart she knew they would transpire. Her heart was correct. Slowly, the large female hand wrapped its fingers around the boy's body and drug him quietly off into the darkness.   
  
"Tokimi!" She screamed and sat straight up in her bed.  
  
***  
  
A great distance away from the alien women, a tremendous battle raged on a dusty planet. The Mgnis of the land quadrant had united their strong arm men, well, the ones Tak had not killed, into a great fighting squadron to hold a staged battle against the Mgnis of the mountain quadrant. This battle was held every rain festival to determine control of the wells to the north. Control of the water had caused great uprisings for thousands of years. Somewhere along the lines of history, someone concluded that it was better to engage your slaves in battle than risk your own neck, so the rain festival competitions were created.   
  
The squadron consisted of about one thousand, tough, growling creatures in all shapes, sizes, and intelligence. Because Tak had become somewhat a minor marvel in the regular games, he quickly rose among the ranks of the land quadrant strong arms. Although he was far from the ranks of the actual leaders, his position in the onslaught was far back from the first wave of infantry. He griped the golden sword Gento gave him tightly, and his heart thumped violently-the man grew quite anxious for the fight. The thrill of hand to hand combat actually invigorated him. He remembered being trained by Gento's other warriors and how they were amazed at his skill. He soon surpassed his trainers so, Gento had to purchase the expertise of professional strong arm handlers. Under the tutelage of Mitir, a former strong arm, Tak's skill as a fighter grew as did his friendship with the beast, a camel-man himself.   
  
The boy smirked beneath his metal war mask as the guttural vocalizations of his squadron's battle cry echoed through the dusty valley. They were now engaged in battle with the Mountain people.   
  
"Stay back! Stay back!" Tak reminded his men as the first wave of land people rushed to the battlefield. The scene before him consisted of whirls of stirred up sand and dust with beautiful sparkles here and there from the sun reflecting off thousands of swords and spears. He could see that the mountain people were gaining ground, his men were being pushed back. "Alright! Go!"  
  
With a rush of wind and the roar of lions, his group raged upon the mountain fighters. Tak met three men at once, initially, and with one fell swoop of his sword, each man lost a body part. The boy smiled as they fell and wiped their blood from his face. He marveled on just how happy the carnage mad him feel. At first, his stomach turned when Gento took him to the competitions and he saw just how brutal a thing he had to look forward to. Death concluded each match-no winner would be announced unless one combatant lie dead. Tak couldn't understand his first feelings of apprehension and disgust over the brutality of the games. However, these feelings soon left him as he took on the role as Gento's strong arm. His first kill was in practice session with a neighbor's tak. The creature was vicious, barely above an animal. Tak remembered the fighter could have been only one step up from a reptile, his resemblance to a lizard was that similar. The beast was so violent, his Mgni had to keep him on a chain. They released him into the fighting pit in Gento's courtyard and as soon as his slimy feet made contact with the ground, he lunged for Tak's throat with razor sharp claws. Tak did not have the golden sword way back then, he had a lesser metal one that was barely able to stave off the attack of the green beast. The reptile man grew fond of striking Tak below the belt, this tactic almost gave him victory over the masked boy. Severely beaten and wondering just how he could make a come back, Tak felt a surge of energy and he threw himself into battle as never before. From this point on, the beast never had a chance. Tak thrust his sword into the creature's heart. The warrior smiled wickedly as warm red blood gushed upon his hand and rolled down his forearm. Gento was laughing. The whole household cheered his victory. And somewhere, somewhere way, way in the distance, Tak could hear the laughter of a woman-a woman whose voice and laughter he had heard once before…long…long ago.  
  
"Foreign scum!"   
  
A mountain beast's sword clanged upon his armor, jolting young Tak from his daydream. He was surrounded by the enemy.   
  
"Oh yeah!" He thought. This was the feeling he loved - the feeling of fear in himself before he unleashed his power upon them. He whirled around slicing through several behind him. He took a run toward a monster he had just struck who was standing there dumbfounded and without the realization that he was dead yet. Tak ran up the creature's body and flipped his own small form over high in the air. As he did, the fighters who were lunging at him from behind ran smack into their stunned comrade, spearing him in the process. Tak landed behind them and with quick consecutive motions, he struck them, leaving their bodies to fall to the ground. The boy smiled. He felt strong. He felt sort of free. He felt extremely powerful. Nothing could stop him. Nothing. Nothing, but the hilt of an enemy sword striking the back of his head. Everything went black.  
  
***  
  
"Are we ready? Does everyone have your swimsuits?" Washu asked as the girls assembled on the bridge of Ryo-Ohki. "Remember, when this cabbit lands she will get antsy to transform back…we won't have long to transport out of her."   
  
"C'mon, Washu, I want to go to the beach!" Ryoko wailed.   
  
"I'm ready," Sasami rubbed her eyes and yawned. She had not gotten much sleep in her little subspace room, not even after Ayeka had joined her. She longed to tell her about her dream, but stopped confiding in her sister long ago. Her dreams of Tenchi frightened Ayeka, so the child held it in to save her sister's feelings.  
  
"Me too!" Mihoshi appeared clad in a skimpy string bikini.   
  
"Mihoshi! Put some clothes on! We're going to get something to eat first…and this planet people may not be like we are used to!" Ayeka reminded.   
  
"Oh, alright." The blonde took a shirt out of her bag and began to dress.  
  
"She's right, you know." Washu fingered the keys on her floating laptop and a holographic projection of the planet below appeared before them.  
  
"These people are definitely humanoid types so we should fit in quite nicely. I've also isolated fragments of Clay's ship off the coast, that's where we will start investigating. It is possible, although highly unlikely that Tenchi, if he survived, could have assimilated into this planet's population. I've got copies of his bio scans for each of you." She handed out a small button in the shape of a red crab. "This will measure the faintest trace of Tenchi's bio-chemical make up."  
  
"A Tenchi detector?" Asked Ryoko.  
  
"Well, if you want to put it that way. Just stow that pin on you somewhere, it will beep when it detects him." She sighed as the girls put the tiny badges on. "My surveillance tells me that the debris from Clay's ship are underwater, so, Ryoko, after we eat, I'm afraid you'll be the underwater recovery team, are you up to it?"  
  
"Are you joking?" Ryoko smiled.  
  
"Good. Once Ryo-Ohki rests up, we can observe from inside her and back you up. Ok, landing sequences are starting. Oh, and ladies?"  
  
The girls looked quizzically at the scientist.  
  
"Stay out of trouble."   
  
***  
  
His body rest upon a ground of blackness and dark. He was bleeding profusely. The loss of blood made him shiver in the silence.   
  
"So…this is it?" He muttered. He knew that death was inevitable, Krta fighters rarely lived into their thirties, save for a select few who win their freedom in the grand game held once every ten years….like his trainer Mitir. So, although he planned to make it to the big event in a month, being killed in battle was not a surprise, a disappointment, but somewhat expected. Tak could not feel his extremities so without any pain, he waited for the long sleep to overtake him.  
  
"I almost lost you…..again."   
  
"That voice?" He thought. "I've heard that voice….before…."  
  
"She's lost her hold on you, finally, my child." The bearer of the voice came into his blurry field of vision. He still could not make out her face but she glowed with divinity. Pale blue light enveloped her form and he could make out a beautiful smile upon the goddess's face and her lovely eyes.  
  
"Who?" He asked. Tak realized that he was no longer on the bloody field of battle, but he was resting in some sort of cramped cockpit of a tiny craft. He lowered his eyes in the dim light and could see more clearly the red streaks of blood flowing down his left side to the floor. Suddenly, the door of the craft exploded outward revealing the dim light of a desert sandstorm. The wind roared and howled through the tiny opening. Tak raised his right arm to his face to shield his nose from the debris entering the craft.   
  
"Shhhhhhh." The Goddess spoke. Her form enveloped the entire entrance of the craft. "Don't talk….." She leaned in closer, and closer until their faces were inches apart. "My gift….to you….." She kissed him gently.  
  
His head reeled from the touch of the beautiful goddess. His senses ignited and he longed to grasp her in a warm embrace fueled by the passion of the kiss. However, his arms did not cooperate with his will, he still could not move. Something was happening within his body. He no longer felt at the brink of death, he felt stronger, increasingly invigorated and with each of his breathes, more alive.   
  
"Tenchi……." She whispered and withdrew, smiling as she retreated.  
  
"Who? Is that your name? Wait, Wait, don't leave me!" He leapt up to follow her outside in the sandstorm, but his foot was caught on a strap of the seatbelt and he fell flat on his face half in and half out of the escape pod. He watched as the goddess laughed….the same laugh he heard as he defeated the reptilian warrior in Gento's pit. He managed to stand up and run toward her, his arm outreached to grasp her. She faded away into the storm. The boy was left alone, once again, enveloped in a storm of sand.   
  
"Get up!"   
  
"Hmmm?" Tak moaned.  
  
"Get up retch!" Gento screamed.  
  
"Wha?"  
  
"We lost! We lost the water! You had to go and get knocked out, just when they were retreating!" He pulled the boy up by his collar. "I also lost all my bets on you! I'm not sure how to recover my losses….maybe I should put you to work digging a well instead of putting you in the grand tournament!"  
  
"No!" Tak was fully awakened by his master's last remark. "It is my right as a Krta! You can't take that from me, Gento!" He roughly removed the old man's pudgy fingers from his collar.   
  
"You forget! You always forget!" Gento pulled from beneath the collar of his tunic a golden chain. Dangling from the end of the chain rested a dirty metallic pendant in the shape of a half moon. This pendant was the same muted red and blue tones as that of the demon mask Tak wore. Gento snarled and grasped the pendant in his grayish hands. It began to glow and with it glowed the mask upon the boy's face.   
  
"Ahhh!" He screamed as the heat grew more and more intense. This was how the Mgnis controlled their strong arms, the only thing most the warriors understood was pain. "Ok!" He roared. "Stop!" He panted as the heat subsided and cringed at the thought of the small burns that would surely be upon his cheeks and nose.   
  
"Good. Now pick up your things and let's get home." The boy slowly followed the man off the battlefield, stepping over bodies and pieces of fallen armor as they left.   
  
Following his master, Tak could not help but wonder about the dream. It wasn't the first time he had dreamt of the beautiful goddess. He remembered that day, it was the first day of his life on this planet-the life of a Krta warrior. He could not remember a single moment in his life prior to that fateful day.  
  
The two beaten men walked through the streets of their shabby town. Tak carried his own gear as well as Gento's belongings. Neither spoke. The warrior knew that they had lost the wells, which meant the town and most of the land quadrant would have to purchase water from the Mountain quadrant, therefore a huge fraction of their own revenue from water sales that no longer existed.   
  
"Scum!" Someone yelled in his direction and flung a rock which deflected from his mask.  
  
"I'm not the only one you let down."  
  
"I'm sorry…." He lowered his head, not wanting to meet the gaze of the townspeople. Tak also noticed other warriors returning behind their Mgnis carrying the same sad disposition. Some walked behind their masters and some were carried on stretchers. He felt bad for the wounded ones. Tak knew that if they didn't heal quickly, they'd be sold probably for practice fodder for health combatants. Or worse, they'd be branded and released into the population. These homeless but free Krta's littered the alleyways begging. They were shunned by the free folk. A fate he considered much worse than dying in battle.  
  
"I'm sending for Mitir, your training will resume in the morning. Reflect on how you were defeated." With that, Gento slammed the door to Tak's room, locking it.  
  
"Ahhhh!" Tak yelled in frustration. He stormed over to his bed, basically a heap of cushions with a rough brown blanket. The boy plopped down and held his masked head in his weary hands. "Damn this thing!" He fingered the edges harshly, knowing that he could not take it off. He turned his gaze to his little window, through the metal bars, the triplet moons shown like a bright beacon of hope. Three moons. Tak had heard stories that the second moon was not actually a moon, but a planet. It was indeed larger than the rest, and he could see wisps of blue water on its surface. So much water. He wondered why the people of this backward planet never sought to leave its soil for the moon of water.   
  
Escape. That thought wafted through his mind every night. He had planned to escape but always ran into the same problem-the mask. He simply could not bear the pain its key caused. He envisioned escaping during one of the rare times he was allowed to remove the mask to bathe, but Gento always made sure he was shackled in some way. Secretly, he had been practicing flexing his muscles in ways to make his limbs seem wider, so when the shackles were placed upon him, he might be able to wiggle free. There existed other problems to this plan. He didn't look like any of the free people. Hell, he didn't look like any of the Krtas he had seen without their masks. His different face and small stature would surely stick out like a sore thumb ensuring he wouldn't get very far from Gento.   
  
"Oh, well." He sighed. At least he had some comforts until he could control his situation. And the killing. He had grown to enjoy the competitions and the killing immensely. That used to bother him, but now it thrilled him. Tak figured that he might as well go with the flow and enjoy the adrenaline pumping carnage his adept hands could create. He smiled. Someday, yes, someday, soon, he would get his chance with Gento. That thought carried him through each of the bad times. And there was always the grand tournament. If he won that, his freedom would be assured and he was certain to be victorious.  
  
***  
Ryo-Ohki transported her passengers quietly on a remote part of the sandy beach of the water planet. Once her friends had safely landed upon the hot white sand, she transformed herself back into animal form. The ladies took a moment to survey their surroundings. It was early, and thankfully, no one saw them appear on that tropical beach. They could see white sand for miles up and down the coast and pale blue water gently lapped upon the shore. A few inhabitants strolled along wearing swimsuits and some had just arrived to lay out their beach towels. To the girl's amazement, the people of this world appeared similar to themselves. They would blend in nicely.  
  
"Ok folks! Here we are!" Washu adjusted her pink T-Shirt and addressed the group. "Everybody ready?"  
  
"Miya!" Ryo-Ohki, now in cabbit form hopped into the arms of smiling little Sasami, who also wore a soft T-shirt in a pale green color.   
  
"I'm hungry!" Sasami answered, placing Ryo-Okhi upon her head in the usual fashion she carried the little creature.  
  
"Yeah, we need breakfast!" Ryoko slung a backpack over her shoulder and adjusted the straps. She wore pale blue denim cutoffs and a very tight red tank top.   
  
"If I don't get something to eat….I think I'm going to die!" Mihoshi wailed.  
  
"If you must, but I would rather get on with our search…." Ayeka trailed off, knowing that the appetites of her companions would win over her own desires.  
  
"There! There's a food stand!" Sasami took off in a trot toward a small building on the beach. "Sir! Sir! Do you have miso soup?"  
  
The large man behind the counter of the food stand scratched his head as he regarded the blue-haired child with the furry brown animal perched between her two pig tails.   
  
"Never heard of that, missy. I can make you a delvian delight? Pretty hearty for breakfast." He gathered up some odd ingredients and waited for her response.   
  
"Sister! I need some money!" Sasami yelled as Ayeka approached trying to catch her breath.  
  
"That will be four genos." He smiled and held out his hand.   
  
"Do you accept Juraian currency?"  
  
"What?"   
  
"Let me handle this….." Washu stepped up to the perplexed man. "Kind sir, I'm a collector of rare genos, a friend of mine said he swore he saw a very valuable collectible coin inadvertently given to you yesterday, do you mind if I check?" She blinked her green eyes adoringly.  
  
"That's odd, little girl. Does your mommy want to buy it from me if I have it?" He motioned toward Ayeka. Ryoko held her hand over her mouth to stifle her laughter at the vendor's insinuation that Ayeka was Washu's mother.  
  
"Mommy?" Washu turned to Ayeka.   
  
"OOOOOO! Yes dear!"  
  
"Well, I don't see the harm, I'll help you…." He pulled out his register drawer and sifted through the coins.   
  
"Oh! Can I see? Can I see?" Washu pleaded as the vendor handed her a coin. She regarded it quickly and gave it back. "Nope, none of these are the good one….I'm sorry. Mommy, why don't you and the others order breakfast and me and Grandma will get the money." She strolled over to Ryoko and drug her aside by her arm.  
  
"Grandma!" The pirate snarled as Washu led them outside the vendor's view.  
  
"Sure! I think we all want a delvian delight, and…." Mihoshi piped in and the vendor wrote down the orders.  
  
"Washu!" Ryoko whispered. "How are we going to pay for this?"  
  
"Just a sec." The scientist snapped her fingers and her holo computer appeared. She typed some calculations and suddenly a small black portal emerged. Washu held out her hand and a small brown sack materialized from the portal and landed in her palm. She snapped her fingers again and both the portal and the computer disappeared. "There! Indigenous money!" She opened the bag to reveal the sparkle of brand, new, genos.  
  
"Washu……counterfeiter. I'm impressed." The pirate winked.  
  
"Well, the Royal Science Academy is not free, you know. Tuition had to come from somewhere."  
  
After paying for their meal, the ladies sat under a cool covered patio of the vendor. The food was exotic, but very tasty, so tasty Ryoko and Mihoshi had seconds and thirds.   
  
"Well, that does it for me!" Ryoko patted her full stomach. "Whose ready for some snorkeling?"   
  
"Meowwww?" Questioned Ryo-Oki.  
  
"It won't take Ryoko long to survey the debris….here…" Another black portal appeared and the child put her hand into it and retrieved a small device. "This will help you locate it, then you just need to dive for it. Want a flashlight?"   
  
"I've got all the light I need." Ryoko curled her hand and a tiny spark of energy formed into a glowing ball.   
  
"Okie Dokie." Well be here if you need us, just call me." She tapped her head, referring to their mental link.  
  
Ryoko stood up and smiled. She then stepped out of her shorts and removed her t-shirt to reveal a black swimsuit. She levitated and turned to leave.   
  
"Ryoko!" Washu reprimanded. "Don't fly until you get out of sight!"  
  
"Oh, crap! You want me to swim?"  
  
"Just a ways….we don't want you on the news, you know!"   
  
"Fine!" She lowered herself down and strolled toward the water.  
  
"Will she be alright?" Sasami asked.  
  
"Of course, you know that demon doesn't need air to live." Ayeka winked.  
  
"Wow! Look at those guys fighting!" Mihoshi mumbled and pointed toward the television mounted on the vendor's wall. "That looks horrible."  
  
"Hmmm?" Ayeka answered as they all regarded the news program on the TV.  
  
'Centuries of fighting slaves murdered in battle, a backwards land of sand and evil…..this is sister moon Thea. Our undercover news crews have sent back some footage of yesturday's battle, Tom?'  
  
'What we are going to show you is not intended for younger viewers and may be disturbing. For hundreds of years, Theans have trained and kept slaves to fight their battles. Such inhumane treatment. What we are showing is footage from a battle for rights to their only water supply.'   
  
On the screen a battle played out. Huge beasts with armor and some wearing masks screamed as they clashed.   
  
'Missionaries and delegates have tried to convert the Theans toward peaceful solutions, but sadly we've not made a dent in banishing this barbaric practice. Milly?'  
  
"How horrible." Mishoshi sighed.  
"hmmmmm." Replied Washu.  
  
*** 


	8. Chapter 8

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Author's notes:  
  
Well, I'm getting bored again. This chapter is not as long as I would have liked, but it took a lot of gumption on my part to finish this….I have not been in the best writing mood lately. I think chapter nine will probably have Ryoko, Ayeka and Mihoshi partaking in some female bonding (I might try some comedy here, dunno?) while events close by unfold. I appreciate your constructive criticism!  
  
************************  
  
Chapter 8:  
  
The cool water invigorated Ryoko as she waded into the alien ocean. She hadn't gone swimming in what seemed like forever and although she had a task at hand, she really didn't mind slowly gliding through the waves towards her destination. She paused for a moment to remember the last family outing on the Masaki lake.  
  
"You demon woman!" Ayeka snarled. "There are children present! You can't just waltz out here without a swimsuit on!" The princess raged.  
  
"Aw, Sasami doesn't care…..neither does….Tenchi…" The naked pirate levitated behind the young man and lowered herself into the warm lake water. She wrapped her arms around him and breathed on the back of his neck causing tiny hairs to stand to attention. I single drop of blood fell from his right nostril and his eyeballs grew as big as saucers.  
  
"R,r,r,r,ryoko?" He managed to get out.  
  
"See? He doesn't mind….." She answered seductively.  
  
"You, you, you…..get your filthy paws off of Lord Tenchi!." Ayeka glowed with anger. Her Jurain powers kicked in and several small cylinders of wood encircled her body and the water around her began to billow outward in a mystical wind.  
  
"Ayeka….Ryoko doesn't have to wear a bathing suit….I've seen her in the onsen like that many times….." Sasami pleaded with her sister.  
  
"Miss, Ayeka?" Mihoshi added.  
  
"Hahahahah! Give it your best shot!" Ryoko rubbed Tenchi's chest. He had to raise his hand to his nose and give it a pinch to stop the bleeding.  
  
"Ohhhhhhh!" Ayeka fumed. Her powers also met critical mass. In an instant she flung that energy upon the pirate and poor, hapless Tenchi. The whole lake was filled with a horrific light.  
  
The flash subsided. Washu just stepped out of the house to see what the racket was all about. She spied the yard, now filled with lake water and debris. Ayeka's blast had evacuated all the water from the lake into the surrounding land, however, the majority of the water flew high into the air and it still rose higher and higher. Ryoko clung to Tenchi as Ayeka fumed. Sasami and Mihoshi looked at each other dumbfounded in the dry lakebed. A little ways off, the shiny metal of Mihoshi's shuttle and the debris from the shell of the long crashed Ryo-Ooh could be seen. Ryoko's cackled wafted through the valley.  
  
"Uh, people….." Washu stated. "I think you should get out of there…"  
  
"Ayeka! You are pathetic!" Ryoko cackled, not releasing her love grip on the young man.  
  
Suddenly a sound came from the sky. Ryoko looked up and then to Tenchi. She did this three times. "Oh, Boy!" She yelled as the contents of the lake came back down on them with a splash. Washu had just enough time to open her umbrella.  
  
"That was a fun day." Ryoko sighed as she continued her jaunt into the water. She went deeper and deeper until she came to a line of brightly colored buoys. They had some sort strange writing on them which the pirate disregarded and kept swimming onward.  
  
"Doesn't your grandmother know you can't swim past that boundary?" The food vendor asked Washu.  
  
"No, why?" The red-haired child asked.  
  
"Those buoys keep the sea creatures from the bathing area- they kinda shock them. You better call her back, there's some nasty beasty's out there…" He cleared off their table and went back into the stand.  
  
"Well, she'll be fine!" Washu perked up. Girls? Last one in the water is a rotten egg!" She leapt up and tore off her t-shirt and ran for the water.  
  
"Wait! Miss Washu! Shouldn't we look for Tenchi?" Ayeka ran after her.  
  
"C'mon, Mihoshi, let's go swimming." Sasami followed  
  
"Wait! Wait for me!" The blonde answered.  
  
Ryoko smiled as she could no longer make out the people on the beach. She was now in HER element. The pirate levitated out of the water and gazed at the device Washu had given her. It was beeping.  
  
"Must be close now." She grinned and flew forward for a bit. The lights on the device and beeping increased. "There, now for a dive!" She stowed the device inside her bikini top and lowered herself into the crystal blue water. She kept going, farther and farther than any normal human could endure. Ryoko's physiology enabled her to gain sustenance from energy around her such as the sun, but more so, the red gem embedded in her left wrist. She did not need to breathe air to live so submerging herself into the depths of the ocean or into the vacuum of space had no ill effect upon her.  
  
Ryoko took a moment to stare at the sparkling gem on her wrist and she pondered on the whereabouts of the other two. Tenchi had them the last she saw him, they were embedded in the hilt of the Tenchiken as always. More than once, a long time ago, she had plotted to trick the boy into giving her back the other two gems-gems which his grandfather, Master Yosho had taken from her in their last battle seven hundred years ago and embedded them upon the hilt of the sword tenchi. After she realized that she was in love with Tenchi, Ryoko had stopped trying to get the gems back. To have them restored to her would mean she really had no excuse to remain on Earth. She also knew that Tenchi was afraid of what she would become should all the gems be restored to her body. Deep down, Ryoko knew that someday, she would earn the boy's trust and hopefully his love and on that day, he would return the jewels to her.  
  
The gems could not be copied nor could they be destroyed. Ryoko knew that Washu was scanning the universe for the energy signal of the other two gems and when they found them, hopefully, they would find Tenchi. She also wondered if Washu was so smart, why she wasn't able to detect the other two gems. She decided to grill her mother a bit over that question when she returned to shore.  
  
***  
  
"Master Edo!" Gento graciously ushered the bejeweled nobleman into his home. "Please, please make yourself at home. We are extremely honored by your presence!" He bowed and offered a plush cushioned seat to Edo.  
  
"News travels far and near of your young Tak. I was hoping to watch him practice."  
  
"Oh, of course, of course! We can take our lunch in the courtyard. He's sparring with Mitir at the moment. You should be quite entertained!" The two noblemen exited the far door leading to the courtyard and seated themselves upon fine silken cushions while servants poured whine and brought platters of food.  
  
"See? There's my boy. Isn't his skill grand? He's going to bring fame and more wealth to our family, that is for sure." Gento beamed with pride.  
  
Lord Edo smiled and sipped his wine. "Gento, he truly does fight well, but is it true that he was incapacitated in the water battle? I heard he didn't even get to fight five minutes…."  
  
"Well, one setback amongst a hundred glorious victories!" Gento came back. "Besides, just look at him….he's better than his mentor, Mitir."  
  
Tak leapt into the air, his ankles missing Mitir's sword by inches. He then let out a guttural yell and brought his own sword down upon his master's neck, however, stopping inches from breaking his friend's flesh.  
  
"I…I….won!" The boy sputtered through heaving breaths from exhaustion.  
  
"You have, you have beaten me. Very good!" Mitir smiled and patted the boy on his shoulder. "Gento! May we take a moment to rest?"  
  
"Bravo, Bravo! Dear Tak! Here! Take this as your reward!" The old man slowly got up and tossed a bottle of wine at the two warriors. Tak leapt up and caught it.  
  
"Thank you, Gento!" He smiled and released the cork and took a big gulp of the red liquid then shared it with his trainer. The two retired to a bench in the training pit just below the noblemen.  
  
"He does fight extremely well….but I have a question for you Gento. Do you think it is the warrior or the weapon that makes the difference?" He sneered and popped a morsel of food into his mount.  
  
"Edo, my friend. An excellent warrior such as my Tak does not need a weapon, he is skilled with hand to hand combat as well…."  
  
"No, my dear friend. I have heard tales of weapons of mass destruction, magical devices held by our neighbors on the water moon. One warrior would not stand a chance against magic such at that…he would not get an opportunity to fight if the enemy could obliterate him from miles away….  
  
"Nonsense! Such things do not exist!"  
  
"Well, perhaps not on Thea, but…." Edo leaned closer to Gento. "I've come into possession of a truly horrific weapon."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Well, I don't mean to brag…but you've better prepare that boy. Once we have my tak using this weapon, we'll have to import Krta's from other planets because this weapon and my warrior will have killed them all."  
  
"Please, don't make me laugh…" Gento was offended. "I don't think you have it in you to possess such a thing."  
  
"Really?" Edo smiled. He reached within the bulk of his flowing robes and produced a wooden box. "Then by all means, please see for yourself…." He placed the box on the table before Gento.  
  
"Doesn't look like much to me!" Gento reached for the box and gingerly picked it up. Slowly he pried it open. "A stick!" He let out a roar of laughter. "You've have me afraid of a stick!" He dropped the box onto the table. Resting within it, cradled in fabric of red silk was an ancient sword hilt made of carved wood. Resting on the top end of the hilt were two points of sapphire blue. Winding vines and patterns twisted and spun around the handle accumulating in a smooth round tip. Set deep into the end of the hilt lay two brilliant red jewels-the tenchiken.  
  
"Then, my friend, you would have no objection to holding it? Please, please pick it up." Edo sneered with an evil grin which made Gento quite nervous. The old man hesitated, then raised his hand toward the seemingly safe hilt of wood before him. Gento's hand came within an inch of touching the ancient material when he stopped.  
  
"You! Pick this up!" Gento yelled at a nearby servant. Tak and Mitir took notice when Gento raised his voice.  
  
"Yes sir!" The hapless servant strolled toward the noblemen and nonchalantly grasped the hilt and held it before them. Almost instantly blue surges of electricity ran through this poor man's body and his hand began to sizzle. He screamed in agony but could not release his grip.  
  
"Let go of that!" Tak screamed and leapt a full ten feet out of the training pit and flew into the servant knocking the sword from his grasp.  
  
"Water! Someone bring some water!" Tak cradled the screaming man and attempted to bandage his hand which was now severely burned.  
  
"I'll get someone to help!" Mitir ran into the house and came back with the family healer who took over from Tak.  
  
"I see, you are very, very sly, my friend." Gento grasped his glass of wine and took a leisurely sip while his healer tried to save the servant's hand.  
  
"Best be sure your boy there is ready…."  
  
"Don't worry. "Gento winked. "He will be." The glimmer of a plan formed in the old man's mind.  
  
***  
  
"Brrrrr! It's cold down here!" Ryoko complained to herself as she descended into the depths. "How much longer?" She held the device. It was going berserk with flashing lights and beeping sounds. "Damn, I can't see a thing." The pirate clenched her left hand and formed a ball of energy to illuminate her way. It sizzled and sparked in the water but it worked to give her some light. Suddenly, a huge gray mass came into her field of vision. "There!" Ryoko sped downward to gaze upon an enormous chunk of the aft section of Clay's Ganali ship. "Oh…my….god!" She took a moment to survey the wreckage. The chunk was ten levels high. Half of the decks were submerged into the white sand of the ocean bottom. The whole piece of debris was almost the size of Mihoshi's shuttle. It dawned on her it would take some time to survey it all….in the dark.  
  
"Well, no time like now!" Ryoko discarded the blinking device and swam toward the wreckage. The tiny box slowly drifted to the bottom, still screeching, still blinking. The sonic waves of the box wafted far out into the ocean, ultimately finding the sensory organs of several large creatures.  
  
Ryoko entered the craft and began searching for anything. She wasn't sure exactly what she was looking for, hopefully the Tenchiken, but her stomach would not keep still as that terrible thought, the thought of finding her Tenchi down here in the cold popped into her mind.  
  
"Baka!" She thought. "That's nonsense! Snap out of it, Ryoko….you've seen, you've seen much worse!" True, she had seen horrors galore at the hands of Kagato, but, she wasn't sure she was prepared to actually find the boy's body down here. She prayed that she wouldn't.  
  
Ryoko overturned consoles and chairs and rummaged through the rooms moving from the top level of the wreckage downward, surveying as much as she could. Suddenly, a metallic gleam caught her eye. The light from her energy ball had reflected off of an object and although she hesitated for a moment, she knew she had to investigate. She swam toward the glimmering light.  
  
***  
  
"Ah! This is the life!' Washu smeared some suntan oil on her arm and plopped back into a beach chair.  
  
"Miss Washu, shouldn't we be meeting up with Ryoko?" Ayeka asked.  
  
"Well, let me check in on her….." Washu took a moment to peak into Ryoko's mind. She saw her swimming toward a light. "She's good. She'll call if she needs us….speaking of calling, it's time to check in with Katshuhito!" Washu produced her trusty laptop and conjured up an image on the screen of the Masaki home place. The view traveled up the winding steps to the shrine. Standing tall and strong, as only huge blocks of wood could, were Ayeka's guardians, Azaka and Kamidake.  
  
"Azaka! Kamadake! How are things, my friends?" Washu asked.  
  
"Miss Washu! You are late checking in." Answered Azaka.  
  
"Yes, we were worried about the Princess." Kamidake replied.  
  
"I'm fine, perfectly fine. Is Lord Yosho about?" Ayeka answered.  
  
"Yes, just inside….Princess….we'd feel much safer about your excursion….." Azaka stated.  
  
"If we could accompany you…." Kamidake finished.  
  
"Nonsense, my friends. We need you to protect my brother, Yosho and I don't need nannied by you two!"  
  
"Very well, but if the Queen finds out that we neglected you, we'll be royal kindling for sure." A sweat drop fell down the side of Kamidake.  
  
"Brother! How are things?" Ayeka asked as the view changed to the office of the shrine. Lord Yosho or Katshuhito as was his earth name was just sneaking a sip of sake when interrupted by the shrill voice of his half-sister.  
  
"Fine! Fine!" The old man sputtered alcohol about as he answered. "We are getting along fine. Nobuyuki's arranged for a local boy to come by and help me with chores and I've been busy training him……Boy! More starch! They must be stiff!" Yosho took a second to yell orders at a dark haired boy frantically ironing some shirts for his master. "Hmmmmm, anyway, have you any news?"  
  
"No, not yet. We are taking our time and enjoying some relaxation on the beach while Ryoko is checking out some underwater wreckage." Ayeka chuckled at Yosho's treatment of the poor lad in his tutelage. She wondered if Tenchi had grown to be such a master swordsman after years of ironing his grandfather's robes.  
  
"Ayeka."  
  
"Hmmm?"  
  
"Ayeka, please take some time to enjoy yourself and the company of your friends." His jovial expression turned serious. "You know it has been over six months. Tenchi would not wish you to suffer from life, but for you to grasp life and enjoy it….who knows, you may find new friends on your adventures…."  
  
"Brother…."  
  
"Mind me, Ayeka. Just live a little, it won't hurt you a bit."  
  
"I will try. Take care, brother. We will contact you soon." With that the transmission ended.  
  
"He's right, you know. We don't have to leave this planet for a while if you don't want. You, Ryoko, and Mihoshi are young and vibrant, it would be a shame if you wasted your time away on this paradise being miserable."  
  
"You're absolutely right, Washu!" Ayeka stood up and took off her shirt and shorts, revealing a stunning swimsuit which was green in color and appeared to have leaves intertwined around her svelte body. "Sasami! Let's go in the water!" She yelled at her sister who was tossing a beach ball to Mihoshi. The child broke into a trot and grabbed the blonde police officer's hand and drug her into the water with Ayeka. Washu sat back and smiled.  
  
***  
  
Ryoko came closer and closer to the reflection. She came upon a brilliant piece of metal poking out from behind a doorway. "Ok, girl, it's now or never!" The pirate reached down to grab the metal when suddenly, the door opened all the way and she was quite surprised to see that attached the metal was the decomposed remains of a Ganali. She shrieked in initial horror and then realized that the green and bloated bodies of these creatures littered the room around her. "You big sissy!" She yelled at herself. "Toughen up! They're just dead meat…that's all…" She felt askew. Something, besides seeing grotesque corpses was not right. She felt water move behind her and a leathery wisp lightly touching her ankle.  
  
"What was that?" She turned around to see nothing. But there it was again, behind her, the same swift movement in the water. Suddenly, her body was jolted out of where she was standing. In a matter of seconds, she had been ripped from that place and now she rested in the jaws of an enormous sea creature. She screamed in pain as the teeth dug into her skin and tore her flesh. Regaining her senses, Ryoko phased her body out of the beast's jaws and she powered up her orange laser sword.  
  
"Hey! That hurt!" She screamed at the monster turning toward her again. It looked like a creature in that movie Tenchi had rented long ago….what was it…a shark. Yes, it looked very much like a shark, only much, much bigger than she believed a shark on earth to really look like. She maneuvered out of its way just as a second monster grabbed her legs and shot through the water dragging her. She gurgled in pain, but maintained enough presence to use her weapon, bringing it down on the monster's eye, instantly causing it to release her. "Got, to get out of the water!" She yelled in her mind a scream that a distant red-haired child heard on the beach, far, far away.  
  
"Ryoko?" Washu shot up. "Ryo-Ohki! Come on! Ryoko needs us!" The little cabbit stopped her play with Sasami immediately and leapt into the air, transforming herself into her spaceship form. With an ethereal "Meow!", Washu was transported into the ship and it sped across the water leaving the others staring dumbfounded on the beach.  
  
Ryoko had mortally wounded one creature when her energy blade pierced its eye and seared into its brain. She swam frantically trying to locate the other sea monster, the water around her became cloudy with wisps of red blood from her wounds. "Where are you…..C'mon, where?" She searched the murky depths. Suddenly, the water below her surged downward and she stared into the open mouth of the beast. Ryoko dematerialized a split second before the monster swallowed her whole. As the creature swam upward, she cleaved it in two with her sword. Blood encircled her body, her blood mixed with the monsters' so heavy she could not see clearly. Ryoko mustered all her strength as her self healing powers kicked in. She shot up like a bullet through the water toward the surface just in time to see Ryo-Ohki in the distance. "About time…." She muttered weakly as the she was transported into the ship.  
  
"Ryoko!" Washu ran to her daughter as the pirate's bloody and wet body slowly descended to the silver surface of Ryo-Ohki's bridge. A small puddle of blood and water formed around her prone form.  
  
"Aw….Crap!" Ryoko looked at Washu and rest her head back on the floor.  
  
"Shhh, don't move. It looks like you went through a blender!"  
  
"It….feels…like it…" She smiled.  
  
"You'll be fine, see, the bleeding's stopped. But I'm sure you'll be out of commission for a few days until your body's healed." Washu had some devices hovering over Ryoko's body. She smiled and wiped some blood soaked hair from her daughter's face.  
  
"Great….useless again….." Ryoko moaned and shut her eyes.  
  
***  
  
Tak raised his hand to block out the piercing sunlight. He gently resumed tending the small garden in the courtyard of Gento's house. This small patch of vegetables was one tiny oasis in a sea of sand. The boy beamed at his small accomplishment of growing and was glad his master allowed him such a small hobby in between his practices. Besides, they all enjoyed the fruit of his labors and gardening was somehow, very soothing and yet familiar. He set down his hoe and picked up a large basket of produce and walked through the kitchen entrance.  
  
"Here's some new ones." He said to the cook as she smiled and accepted the basket. He marveled at the old woman's dexterity in the old kitchen. She turned to take a steaming pot out of the fire but stopped to grasp a silver cloth to protect her hand from the hot metal.  
  
"What is that?" Tak asked.  
  
"Oh, the ladies in the market sell these….it's made from a sand plant….darn thing won't burn at all! Saves my old hands from that hot kettle there." She smiled and returned to her cooking.  
  
Tak smiled and went to leave, but not before taking a big sheet of this material from the table as the cook turned her back to him. This would come in handy. He quickly tucked it into his tunic. The boy turned a corner and came face to face with his master.  
  
"Tak!" Gento smiled deceivingly. "Please, I have something to discuss with you…." He ushered the boy into a side room and he closed the door. "I have an important task for you…."  
  
"Gento?"  
  
"Tonight…" He lowered his voice to a whisper. "You will get me that sword Lord Edo showed us today."  
  
"Master?"  
  
"Mitir will take you outside his home. You are to sneak into his house and steal that weapon for me!"  
  
"But?"  
  
"No! Listen to me, boy!" His tone turned wicked. "We will harness that thing's power and nothing can stop us in the tournaments!" The old man's eyes shone with feverish thoughts of glory. "And nothing is to stand in your way, do you understand? Kill him or anyone who tries to stop you….."  
  
"I understand…."  
  
"And Tak…." He turned to leave but clutched the key to the boy's mask as he exited. "Should you fail you will not live to regret it….." 


	9. Chapter 9

******  
  
Author's notes:  
  
After a long, long, long time, I've finally given this story another shot. You may not like where I'm taking it, but I want to explore something….a terrible change in the characters. I hope it will become clear as the story progresses just why I'm doing it. As the title suggests, this is the turning point in their lives, a change and a journey albeit dark, that they have to complete.  
  
*******  
  
Chapter 9:  
  
"What do you mean, there's nothing there!" Ayeka fumed and paced back and forth creating a nice path on the plush carpet.  
  
  
  
"Just as I said….Ryoko's memory showed me nothing but a section of hull, no Tenchi, thank goodness, and no sword…." Washu put her hands on her hips to confront the princess.  
  
  
  
"So we are here for nothing?" Ayeka plopped herself down upon one of the enormous beds in the expensive hotel suite.  
  
  
  
"Mmpph! Mmph!" A muffled sound emanated from a covered form on the far bed.  
  
  
  
"What's that?" Sasami strolled over to the bed and pulled back the covers. There, a human figure, covered strategically with white bandages, twisted and contorted. "Ryoko? Let me move this for you…" Sasami pulled a section of bandages off of the pirate's mouth. "There!"  
  
  
  
"I said," she mumbled. "I said it wasn't for nothing….was it Washu?"  
  
  
  
"Sasami! How dare you unplug that mummy!" Ayeka marched over to Ryoko.  
  
  
  
"Hey!" The pirate sneered just before the princess snapped the bandage over her mouth again.  
  
  
  
"Actually, our little Jaques Cousteau here did bring back some valuable information…." Washu produced her handy laptop and showed the opaque screen and holographic imagery to the girls.  
  
  
  
"Ohhh! Like, watch out for sharks?" Smirked the princess.  
  
  
  
"No, but that's an important safety tip – Little Ryoko….anyway, I've actually amassed a database of all known debris from the ship that we've investigated and based on our newest findings…"  
  
  
  
"Mmphh!"  
  
  
  
"Ahem, thanks to Ryoko, of course, we now know that without a doubt, that Tenchi's escape pod, if not destroyed……would have landed on either of the three moons in this system."  
  
  
  
"Miss Washu? They are still very big….how, how do we find him?"  
  
  
  
"Yes, Washu, how……"  
  
  
  
"Ayeka, Sasami….that's all I've got….what brought us here to begin with was a strange energy pattern that seems to envelope the three moons alone. Whatever it is….whoever made it….is keeping me from detecting the gems. I'm certain that if we find the gems and the sword tenchi, the boy would be close by.  
  
  
  
"But, but how can we search an entire planet?" Ayeka pleaded.  
  
  
  
"Again, I'm working on that." She shut the laptop and it disappeared. "In the meantime….why don't you girls relax a bit." She smiled and was about to elaborate when Mihoshi burst into the room.  
  
  
  
"Oh my god! You have to see this hotel's baths!" Clad only in a plush bathrobe, Mihoshi pranced into the room. "They are just amazing….and the gift shop…is out of this world!"  
  
  
  
"What are you babbling about?" Ayeka cut her off.  
  
  
  
"I mean…I mean…this seems to be a resort of some sorts." She turned to Washu and whispered. "Is it alright for us to have….fun…now?" She honestly pleaded with the red-haired scientist.  
  
  
  
"Oh, Mihoshi…..that's just what I'm trying to get Ayeka to do. Ayeka?"  
  
  
  
"You people are the worst!" She stomped to the other side of the room next to bandaged Ryoko. "We are on a mission….a mission to find Tenchi. How do you expect me to have fun?" She plopped down on the bed.  
  
  
  
"Sister." Sasami sat next to her and put her hand on Ayeka's shoulder. "It's alright to try to live again….Tenchi would want it this way."  
  
  
  
"Does Tsunami tell you that?" She glared at the child.  
  
  
  
"Ayeka?" Sasami's eyes welled up with tears.  
  
  
  
"…Oh….Sasami….I'm so sorry." She realized she awakened the terrible memories of her interrogation of the child. She knew that Sasami really didn't know anything. She hugged her sister.  
  
  
  
"It's alright." The child replied.  
  
  
  
"It's ok to try to be yourself again, Ayeka." Ryoko removed her bandage and spoke softly from her bed.  
  
  
  
"We will find out what happened to Tenchi, Ayeka. But we also need to try to be happy. That's all there is to do." Mihoshi answered.  
  
  
  
"Well?" Washu asked.  
  
  
  
"You all are right. So right." She sniffed back a tear. "Let's do something."  
  
  
  
"Well, I don't know about you…." Ryoko slowly stood up. "But I'm itching to see what kind of night life this place has to offer." She unwrapped the bandages around her face to reveal fresh, undamaged skin. "What say you, Princess?"  
  
  
  
"Well, I guess we can see a show….or this planet's equivalent to a movie…."  
  
  
  
"Oooooh. There's a night club across the street….." Mihoshi's eyes bobbled.  
  
  
  
"Mihoshi….you are a girl after my own heart…..I think I'm going to drink you under the table tonight!" Ryoko tore the bandages from her left arm.  
  
  
  
"Wha, wha, what? Alcohol and dancing?" Ayeka looked frightened.  
  
  
  
"C'mon, Ayeka….it will be fun, girls night out." The police officer cheered.  
  
  
  
"But someone needs to watch Sasami…."  
  
  
  
"That will be me…this hotel has amusement rides and arcade games for the tykes…..I think I'll fit right in….don't you Sasami?"  
  
  
  
"Hai!" Sasami giggled.  
  
  
  
"Oh! I'm so glad I packed my favorite dress! Ayeka, what are you going to wear?" Mihoshi put her hand in her pocket and produced an opaque cube. This Galaxy Police issued device, her control cube, opened a sort of subspace store room for anything she desired. The problem the blonde often had, however, was finding the right combination to extract what she needed.  
  
  
  
"If I could just find where my clothes are…." She twisted and turned the sides of the cube. Suddenly, from out of nowhere, objects started falling on the floor. A blow dryer. Some books. Apples. A coat. All objects she had stored in her cube for later use. "I can't find it!"  
  
  
  
"Hand it over." Washu held out her palm. Mihoshi gave her the cube and the scientist twisted it until a slinky red dress fell into her hands. "Is this it?"  
  
  
  
"Yes! Oh thank you little Washu!" Mihoshi grabbed the dress and dropped her robe to put it on.  
  
  
  
"Well the only limit to my wardrobe is my imagination…." Ryoko unwrapped her body and stood naked before them.  
  
  
  
"Do you two have any modestly whatsoever?" Ayeka fumed.  
  
  
  
"Huh?" Mihoshi responded as she tugged for the zipper in the back of the dress.  
  
  
  
"Oh, come off it, Ayeka. Anyway, just what are you going to wear?" As she spoke a yellow spark flew down her body and as it traveled, a dazzling garment appeared. It was golden, the color of her eyes. The top, nothing more than a golden metallic halter, had a plunging neckline and the waist came to a point in the front and was high on the sides. Her pants were low on her waist, revealing much of her hips. She waltzed over to the mirror to admire her handy work.  
  
  
  
"How slutty….er appropriate, Ryoko." Ayeka smirked and opened her own wooden suitcase. She removed a white garment. "If you don't mind, I'll change in Mihoshi's room." She opened the door that adjoined the suites and exited.  
  
  
  
"Wow, Ryoko….is that real gold?" Mihoshi examined the fabric of Ryoko's outfit.  
  
  
  
"I don't know…what's gold?" She looked puzzled as Ayeka came back into the room wearing a luminous dress of white.  
  
  
  
"Ayeka. That's lovely." Sasami uttered.  
  
  
  
"Well, I guess we are all ready." Ayeka demurely strolled over to the mirror to admire her attire. She was wearing a white lace tee with cap sleeves. It was lined with nude fabric so as to just give the illusion of something racy, but true to her character, very tasteful. The matching skirt lay just above her knees with a tiny slit in the front. She was utterly luminous.  
  
  
  
"Watch out for the males!" Washu laughed and handed Ayeka a small pouch of money.  
  
  
  
"Hey! Why does Ayeka get to hold the money?" Ryoko fumed.  
  
  
  
"You really need to ask….little Ryoko?"  
  
  
  
"Well…"  
  
  
  
"Come on, it's getting late….I want to see if they have karaoke!" Mihoshi pulled Ayeka out of the room as Ryoko smiled and followed.  
  
  
  
"Do you think they will be alright?" Sasami looked concerned.  
  
  
  
"Yeah, consider it self medication….it's been a rough six months, Sasami." Washu sighed. "Wanna see if this place has a rollercoaster?"  
  
  
  
"Yeah! Come on Ryo-Ohki!"  
  
  
  
The cabbit poked her head out from under Ryoko's covers and hopped onto the child's head as Sasami and Ryoko exited the room.  
  
  
  
***  
  
"You will find two guards outside Edo's compound. Once inside, the master's room is on the south wing beyond the courtyard. He will have it with him. Do you understand?"  
  
  
  
"Hai," Tak answered his master as their hovercraft silently came to a halt outside Edo's gates. He was not nervous. He knew what he needed to do and he came prepared to handle this dangerous weapon he was ordered to steal. With a sudden leap, he threw his body out of the craft and he gazed for a moment upon the clear midnight sky at the blue moon/planet above.  
  
  
  
"You will have to make it to the sand trees alone….we will wait for you there. Do you understand?"  
  
  
  
"Yes Gento."  
  
  
  
"Oh, and one last thing….I have already reported you have run away. The sentries will be looking for you on the western end of the city. If you are caught I will disavow any participation in this, so don't get any ideas about running off for real." He turned to face the driver. "Get the sword and return to the trees and I will cancel the alert for your arrest. Am I clear."  
  
  
  
"Clear as this night's sky…"Tak ground his teeth in hate for the old man. He promised right then, under the bright moon Celeste that he would make Gento pay, make him beg for mercy…one day. Tak adjusted the black cowl over his head. Gento outfitted him in an outfit of pure black so the night would conceal his theft. The only color emanating from his form was the mask. In a flash, the young warrior darted off down the wall and toward the entry and the two guards. Gento's craft sped away.  
  
  
  
***  
  
"Here's to the men that we love!" Mihoshi waived a glass containing a glowing blue liquid.  
  
  
  
"Here' to the men that we lust!" "The words fell from Ryoko's lips like a low growl from a caged animal. She waived not a small glass of blue liquor, but the whole bottle.  
  
  
  
"And if the men that we love aren't the men that we lust….."  
  
  
  
"Then to hell with the men…here's to us!" Ryoko clashed her bottle in toast against Mihoshi's glass.  
  
  
  
"Savages." Ayeka screamed over the loud thumping of the club's music just so her companions could hear her.  
  
  
  
"Lighten up, Princess…..hey barkeep!" She smacked some money down on the bar. "Give my purple haired friend here a double of this blue stuff." The muscled man complied and handed the princess a hefty glass of liquor.  
  
  
  
"Come on, Ayeka….try it…it's good!" Mihoshi downed hers.  
  
  
  
"Ayeka! Ayeka! Ayeka!" Ryoko chanted, urging her on.  
  
  
  
"Well," she sighed as he delicately raised the glass to her lips, "when in Rome…." She took a sip and instantly enjoyed the fruity taste and the cool feel of the liquid as it slid down her throat. "My….this is good." The people dancing, the room thumping with music suddenly appealed to her. Her head began to swim and images of happiness overcame her.  
  
  
  
"It packs quite a punch too," stated a man standing next to her.  
  
  
  
"Huh?" Ayeka took another sip as Ryoko and Mihoshi peered at the stranger at the bar.  
  
  
  
"I said, it is quite potent….I'd be careful, they almost outlawed Blue Devils on Celeste, you know." He took out what appeared to be a cigarette and placed it in his mouth. "Do you ladies have a light?" Ryoko answered him by shooting a tiny speck of orange energy at his face, igniting his cigarette but leaving the whole thing a black cinder against his ivory skin. "Well," He spat the ruined cigarette out, "not exactly what I had in mind, but thanks."  
  
  
  
"No one invited you into our conversation." Ryoko fumed.  
  
  
  
"Ok, I get the point….sorry." He turned from them.  
  
  
  
"Ryoko, you animal, don't be so rude!" Ayeka turned to him. "I apologize for her behavior."  
  
  
  
"Hey, stuff like that makes life interesting, don't you agree….." He turned to her.  
  
  
  
"Ayeka, my name is Ayeka." She smiled.  
  
  
  
"He's trying to pick you up Ayeka!' Ryoko teased. "Come on, Mihoshi, let's dance!" The pirate grabbed the blonde and drug her out onto the dance floor leaving Ayeka at the bar.  
  
  
  
"She is definitely a strange one." He chuckled. "By the way, my name is Amatsu Mikaboshi."  
  
  
  
"That is an odd name….August Star of Heaven." Ayeka pondered its Japanese translation and tried to remember some earth mythology she knew existed that seemed relevant to that name. She couldn't remember. "Oh, well," she thought. "It is nice to meet you." She smiled and took another sip of her drink, the effects of the narcotic within the liquor pulsed through her veins making her suddenly giddy. She regarded this stranger with pale skin and luminous blue eyes. His light brown hair was long and pulled back by a leather cord, but not without leaving errant strands falling into his deep eyes. He wore a dark blue jacket with matching pants. She smiled at him as he pulled another cigarette from his pocket.  
  
  
  
"You don't mind?" he winked as he rifled through his coat for a match.  
  
  
  
"Uh, no…" She fidgeted.  
  
  
  
"So," He lit his cigarette, "What's a normal person like you doing in a dive like this….geesh, that sounding so phoney." He laughed.  
  
  
  
"Normal," she thought, "If he only knew." Ayeka smiled again. "Well, we are on vacation, of sorts. And you?"  
  
  
  
"Business. Its always business." He returned her smile and watched her down her drink. "Would you like another?"  
  
  
  
"Yes, it was delicious."  
  
  
  
"Bartender, two of the same, please." He gave the man some money and handed Ayeka her drink. "A toast, to meeting someone new." He clinked his glass to hers as she blushed.  
  
  
  
***  
  
Tak hid in a bush just beyond the line of sight of the two guards. From within the folds of his black tunic, he withdrew a small dagger, the only weapon he could conceal. "Now or never." He thought as he leapt upon the guards. The boy kicked one man to the ground and he spun midair and slashed the throat of the second, the man clutching his throat as blood flowed through his fingers. Tak turned to the first guard as he rushed to his friend's aid, his silver dagger imbedding in his hip, instantly severing a main artery. The second man fell to the ground. The warrior sheathed his bloodied weapon and quietly stole his way down the courtyard. The two guards were slain in a matter of seconds.  
  
  
  
"I have to find Edo's chambers." He thought as he caught sight of an open doorway. Wispy white fabric billowed out of the entry so that he had to brush it aside to enter. The room inside was decorated with such opulence Tak had never seen before. Gold encrusted every carving and rich fabrics draped every piece of furniture. He overcame the stunning affect the room caused and he began to pilfer through things in an attempt to find the ornate box which held the sword. He didn't hear the quiet footsteps behind him.  
  
  
  
"Thief!" A female voice rang out as a heavy object struck his head. Tak turned around, stunned but unharmed. He drew his dagger.  
  
  
  
"Step aside!" His eyes came to rest upon the angry form before him. It was a girl, about his age. She was definitely Thean, with her pale gray skin and purple eyes, she was also terribly beautiful. This would be difficult.  
  
  
  
"Did you come for my father?" She raised the heavy metal candle stick over her shoulders for another strike. She lunged at him, he dodged out of her way but not without grasping her arm and wrenching the weapon from it. "Ow!" She yelled.  
  
  
  
"Be quiet!" He twisted her arm behind her back and forced her down on the bed. Tak didn't relish killing a girl, but she could also be a witness to his entry. He was thankful that the dark hood covered his mask as he tried to decide what to do.  
  
  
  
"Kill me. Get it over with!" She struggled against his weight as he held her tightly.  
  
  
  
"Bad timing." He whispered to her as she struggled beneath him. "Something familiar about this, something arousing," he thought as a singular memory flashed through his head, this time it was someone holding his body down on a bed. This memory, a brief but crystal clear one of a woman, a lovely blue haired woman sitting on his chest, holding him down and trying to get a sword from his hands…..a sword? The sword, the very same sword he came to steal. "What was going on?" He thought.  
  
  
  
"I said kill me!" She kicked her right leg back, hitting him squarely in the balls. The brief twang of pain ended the memory grew into a wave of torture as all he could do was to continue to hold her down.  
  
  
  
Whack!  
  
  
  
He took the hilt of his dagger and in one swift thrust, struck her across the back of her head, knocking her out cold. Tak stood up from the bed and grasped his injuries. After he felt he could walk without aid, he knelt to the woman and felt her pulse. She hadn't gotten a good look at him, so there was no point in killing her. He obviously was in the wrong room, though. The boy jolted out the door to find Lord Edo  
  
  
  
***  
  
Ryoko was out of her mind. "Those Blue Devils sure are potent." She thought as wisps of imaginary lights and swirls floated before her and through Mihoshi who wiggled and danced to the thumping rhythm of the techno music. "It must be…something…more than alcohol." She kept up the pace with her dance partner as she noticed her visions throbbed with the music. "This is cool." She hoped Ayeka wouldn't drink anymore, the thought of carrying her back to the room made her groan. Then, there was Mihoshi. The blonde seemed to have an inextinguishable supply of energy despite drinking as much as the pirate.  
  
  
  
"This is so much fun!" Mihoshi giggled as she thumped her hip against Ryoko's. "I wish we all would have gone out dancing back on Earth."  
  
  
  
"Tenchi wouldn't have lasted two seconds in a place like this…" Ryoko caught herself off guard at mentioning his name. No, he would not have fit in at all, he would have probably moped with a stunned look on his face like a deer caught in a car's headlights. She smiled. It would be just like him to be nervous around so many women…and alcohol. Pure torture. Then she remembered everything and decided not to think about him for once.  
  
  
  
"What?" Mihoshi yelled, not quite hearing Ryoko through the loud music.  
  
  
  
"Nothing!"  
  
  
  
***  
  
Four guards patrolled the hall outside Edo's room. Only four. He steadied his bloodied weapon and slowly crept closer. He had to separate them. Passing an ornately carved display table, Tak grabbed a golden paperweight and tossed it down the hall.  
  
  
  
"What was that?" A man asked stepping forward to pick up the object.  
  
  
  
"How did that get here?" His companion asked.  
  
  
  
With the skill of an assassin, the boy stepped from around the corner. His dagger fining its mark in the chest of the first guard. The man fell to the floor with a thud as a growing pool of blood formed beneath his body.  
  
  
  
***  
  
"Amatsu?"  
  
  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Would you like to dance?" Ayeka averted her eyes as the slow song started.  
  
  
  
"I would be honored." He extended his hand to her and she accepted it. The two left the bar side and passed exhausted and sweating Mihoshi and Ryoko.  
  
  
  
"Hey! I told you he was trying to pick you up!" Ryoko cackled as she plopped down on the barstool. Ayeka countered with a look of murder toward the pirate as Amatsu led her to the dancefloor.  
  
  
  
***  
  
"Ahhhh!" The fourth guard let lose a guttural moan as a dagger was removed from his stomach.  
  
  
  
"Now, Edo." Tak wiped the blood from his dagger onto his sleeve and then he grasped the golden door knob. His heart raced and adrenaline pumped through his veins. So many murdered this night at his hands and Edo could not escape him now that he was in this state. He turned the knob and slowly opened the door. Before him, he gazed upon another opulent room. The boy stepped carefully inside. Darkness. Not a sound.  
  
  
  
"Do you think me a fool."  
  
  
  
"Huh?" That voice. He was expected.  
  
"You just waltz in here killing my guards…not very mannered." From out of the shadows, the stout form of Lord Edo appeared. He held the ornate box Tak knew contained the sword. "Mek!"  
  
  
  
From around the corner a slender figure appeared. Dressed in black, this man approached carrying a golden sword. Tak recognized him as Edo's strong arm.  
  
  
  
"You should not have come here." Mek's voice cackled like the hiss of a thousand snakes. He lunged at Tak who could only defend himself with the small dagger.  
  
  
  
***  
  
Ayeka held his warm hand in hers as they danced to a slow but foreign song. Suddenly, he pulled her closer, her head now on his chest and her arms around his neck. She could smell the piquant and subtly floral odor of his cologne, a scent that did, in face, remind her of the woody forest in August-part of his namesake. "What would Tenchi think?" She hushed that thought right out of her head. Tenchi was not here. Besides, it was only a dance with a stranger, nothing more.  
  
  
  
***  
  
The two warriors fought in the dark under Edo's supervision. Tak was not making any ground with his tiny dagger. His opponent slashed at the boy's right side, causing him to dash to the other side. Tak took this opportunity to leap into the air, landing squarely behind Mek. He grasped the fighter from behind, wedging the man's head in the crook of his left arm as he readied his dagger in his right. Tak smiled as he prepared his strike.  
  
  
  
Wack!  
  
  
  
"Knock me out, will you." Edo's daughter lowered a much bigger brass candlestick as Tak fell to the floor unconscious.  
  
  
  
***  
  
"He's making me nervous."  
  
  
  
"He seems nice….let her have some fun while she can, Ryoko."  
  
  
  
"I don't know…something about him….I'm always right about my gut feelings." She knocked her head back and slammed down a shot.  
  
  
  
"Well, we will probably be leaving this planet soon, I guess if we both watch him, it can't hurt to let her have some fun with him…." Mihoshi slammed back her own drink.  
  
  
  
"Mihoshi, you've drank enough to kill an elephant, where do you put it?" Ryoko was amazed.  
  
  
  
"I don't know what you mean?" The blond blinked.  
  
  
  
***  
  
"Wake up murderer!" A powerful slap across his face delivered from Edo's beautiful daughter woke Tak up with a start.  
  
  
  
"You are Gento's Krta are you not?" Edo hovered next to him.  
  
  
  
"Does it matter?" Tak answered. He was now aware that he was restrained in a chair, his arms and legs held securely by think ropes.  
  
  
  
"Well, I'm two clicks away from calling the sentries. But, I thought it would be more fun to send a message to my dear friend, Gento. Do you want to hear it?"  
  
  
  
"Do I have a choice?"  
  
  
  
"Ha!" Edo laughed as he opened the box he held. Tak caught a glimpse of two brilliant red jewels of that ancient blade as it rest within the velvet lining. "Mek, I open his hand."  
  
  
  
"What?" Tak suddenly became aware of his fate. He knew what would happen if he touched the sword.  
  
  
  
"First it will be your right hand, then your left." Edo produced a similar scrap of the same sand plant material Tak had stolen from the cook and he used it to shield his hand as he picked up the sword. Mek pried the boy's fingers open to accept the sword. "Do you know what happens if you don't let go?" He smiled as he held the hilt before him. "Your hand will explode. And if you are still alive when this is over, I think I'll let my daughter, Lexi be the one to finish you off." He lowered the sword to Tak's hand which Mek kept forced open.  
  
  
  
"No, don't!' the boy protested, but to no avail. In a matter of seconds, he felt the warm wood of the sword in his hand as Mek forced him to hold it.  
  
  
  
***  
  
"Ayeka, would you care to join me on a walk on the beach?" Amatasu asked as the music died down and returned to the thumping beat of techno.  
  
  
  
"Well, I don't know…." She hoped her nervousness didn't show.  
  
  
  
"Please? The moons are full, would you care to share them with me?"  
  
  
  
"But, my friends?" She was unsure of it all. This man, this handsome man was nothing but a gentleman, but he was a stranger.  
  
  
  
"If you follow me, I'm sure we could dodge them for a few minutes." He tugged at her hand and led her to the other side of the dance floor toward the exit.  
  
  
  
This was not what Ayeka had in mind. However, her head swam with visions and lights caused by whatever drug was in her drink and she could not think clearly. Before she knew it, she was outside, her body enjoying the cool breeze and her shoes sinking in the sand.  
  
  
  
"Wow, this is beautiful." She whispered as she took off her shoes so she could walk better in the sand.  
  
  
  
"It truly is." Amatasu held her hand as they strolled down the beach.  
  
  
  
Back in the club, Ryoko and Mihoshi battled over a pile of empty liquor bottles. Ryoko slammed down her last drink and eyeballed the blond to ascertain just how her body reacted to this much alcohol.  
  
  
  
"That was good!" Mihoshi smiled as her cheeks turned red. She obviously could keep up with the pirate's drinking.  
  
  
  
"I can't believe you! No one can keep up with me, no one!" She tossed the empty glass from her hand and for the first time she noticed that Ayeka and her suitor were missing.  
  
  
  
"Mihoshi? They gave us the slip." She stood up from the barstool, immediately swaying as the effects of the alcohol finally seized her body. "Oh my."  
  
  
  
"Ryoko, are you alright?" Mihoshi stood and steadied the pirate with her arms.  
  
  
  
"Fine, fine," Her stomach churned and her head spun. "We need to make sure Ayeka is ok, let's go!" She drug Mihoshi from the bar and out the exit door onto the beach.  
  
  
  
"Ayeka, you are a vision of beauty." He cooed as he turned her to him. Before she could react, before she could protest, he kissed her.  
  
  
  
Ayeka never felt a kiss like this. His lips met hers in warm ecstasy and before she knew it, she felt his tongue attempt to enter her mouth. That was too much. She pulled away from him.  
  
  
  
"I think…I think we should head back."  
  
  
  
"Why?" He pulled her close again and moved in to resume the kiss.  
  
  
  
"Amatasu….stop." She tore away from him, hoping his passion had subsided and he would walk her back. He would not let her go.  
  
  
  
"I don't think you want me to let you go, do you Ayeka?"  
  
  
  
"I most certainly do!" She reached up and scratched his face, causing him to release her. She could no longer contain her anger. Her key glowed brightly as her powers, her many wooden cylinders appeared to keep this Cassanova at bay.  
  
  
  
"What?" He was thrown to the ground.  
  
  
  
"I think I should teach you some manners!" Her ruby eyes glowed like coals as she began to power up to finish him.  
  
  
  
"Ayeka! Wait!" Mihoshi came barreling down the beach as Ryoko floated beside her.  
  
  
  
"Don't kill him, he's not worth it." Mihoshi tried to calm the princess down. "Look, you've both had too much to drink, let Ryoko and I take you home…." She wrapped her arm around Ayeka.  
  
  
  
"Oh, Mihoshi." Ayeka relented and her tiara stopped glowing and her wooden cylinders disappeared. She leaned on the police officer and let her lead her away from this upsetting scene.  
  
  
  
"You would have had fun!" Amatasu sneered as he stood and wiped the blood from the cut on his face.  
  
  
  
"Mihoshi, take the princess home, I think I'll have my own fun with this creep." Ryoko's eye's glared with evil intent as she slowly strolled up to the man.  
  
  
  
"Ryoko?"  
  
  
  
"Don't worry, Mihoshi, go, I'll catch up with you later."  
  
  
  
"Alright, just be back soon." Mihoshi supported Ayeka as the two returned to the hotel.  
  
  
  
"Now, you have something I want." She cornered Amatasu as he smiled.  
  
  
  
"Perhaps I chose the wrong woman to dance with tonight." He snickered as Ryoko leapt upon him, sending both of their bodies to the sand. Ryoko landing on top of him, holding him down. With her right hand she ripped his shirt open, causing buttons to fly across the sand.  
  
  
  
"You still want to have fun?" She growled and leaned in to kiss him roughly.  
  
  
  
"Have you ever seen the devil?" he smiled and grabbed the back of her head, pulling her to him.  
  
  
  
"You are looking at her." She replied and then everything went black 


	10. Chapter 10

************ Author's notes: Finally, I've finished another chapter. Thanks you guys for the words of support, egging me on. We are almost to the climax and I hope not all of you have figured out the surprise or where I'm taking this. To get both of my stories done, I'm going to have to alternate releasing chapters between the two. I love the storyline too much to leave it hanging, just have real life stuff keeping me from finishing as soon as you would like, but hang in there. ***********  
  
Chapter 10  
  
Mihoshi lurched to the left then to the right. She felt very proud that she had managed to out drink Ryoko, but suddenly, she also worried that perhaps she had taken it too far.she was wasted. Her tanned arm rested around the pale shoulders of Princess Ayeka, she too, a little worse for wear. The girls latched onto each other tightly and wobbled their way down the beach. They didn't seem to notice the tiny little crab shaped pins on their shirts glowed faintly and emitted a tiny beep.  
  
  
  
"Oh, Mihoshi." Ayeka let go of her supporting companion and fell to the sand as the high tide came rolling in soaking her in white sea foam.  
  
  
  
"Are you going to be sick?" Mihoshi stood back lest her friend felt the need to vomit.  
  
  
  
"No.." She burst into tears.  
  
  
  
"Ayeka?" The blond gently knelt in the wet sand as another small wave soaked the hem of her red dress. "What's wrong?"  
  
  
  
"Why can't they all be.like. Tenchi?"  
  
  
  
"Who?" Mihoshi blinked.  
  
  
  
"Men.if I can't find Tenchi, then why can't I find one like him."  
  
  
  
"It's just bad luck, Ayeka." She grasped the Princess's shoulders and peered into her ruby eyes. "Stick with me and I'm sure some good luck will wear off on you." She smiled.  
  
  
  
"Oh, Mihoshi, I don't think your good luck is transferable." A she smiled and wiped away a tear. "Don't you think Miss Washu would agree?" This made them both laugh.  
  
  
  
"Well, I promise that I'll only give you my GOOD luck!" She stood and helped Ayeka to her feet and the girls resumed their wobbling down the beach back to the hotel.  
  
****  
  
"No!" Tak screamed as he felt the wood of the alien sword in his hand. He could not release it thanks to Mek's strong grip. Sparks began to fly from between his fingers and illuminate the room in bright flashes as Lord Edo cackled in the background. The boy felt the energy sear into the soft flesh of his hand, he felt an initial burning sensation and he squeezed his eyes shut so he would not see his hand disintegrate right in front of him. It did not come. He slowly pried one eye open to gaze upon his still whole hand no longer being singed. An evil smile spread across his face as a memory, rather, instructions passed through his mind.  
  
  
  
Tak was no longer held within Edo's home. He now stood in a clearing in an alien wood as a faint breeze carried the sweet smell of flowers and dandelion seedlings. Before him, stood a huge ancient tree resting in the middle of a crystal blue pond. He slowly approached the tree and as he gazed upon her grand form, tiny threads of rainbow colored light shot from her branches enveloping him in a magic glow. Then, he noticed it. The Sword he sought from Edo. The hilt was embedded deep within the trunk of the tree. Stepping lightly upon the damp stones in the pond, he made his way over to the tiny island of ground in which the magic tree grew. He stood face to face with the sword and in an instant, it began to glow and spark. From far away, in the darkest reaches of his mind, he heard it. He heard an old man speaking.  
  
  
  
"Now is your time to grasp the future!"  
  
  
  
Without questioning himself or who the voice was in his head, Tak outstretched his right hand with care. Inching his way, he slowly wrapped his fingers around the shaft of the hilt. Suddenly, a torrential wind bombarded his body and it took all his might to stay in place. He groaned as he tried to pull the sword from the tree. Sparks from the ancient blade enveloped his hand as he tried to free the weapon. From behind him, he heard a twig snap. Turning around, but still clutching the sword, Tak saw the form of a woman standing on the bank. Garbed in a skin tight black and red suit, she held her head high and stared at him with her golden yellow eyes. Her savage beauty almost made him lose his grip, almost.  
  
  
  
"You pitiful little boy!" She screamed and lunged forward, her pale blue hair whipping around her face. "I am coming to destroy you! I'm going to squash all your puny little hopes and dreams!" She flew across the water and floated before him as he desperately tried to free the sword.  
  
  
  
"Who are you!" He yelled over the wind.  
  
"Your murderer! Prepare to die!" She clenched her right hand and an orange energy ball formed. With a flick of her wrist, the ball elongated into a sword of pure orange energy. Her feral eyes glowed with hate as she raised her arm to strike him dead.  
  
  
  
"No!" He screamed once more as he finally freed the sword from the trunk. Instantly, he took a pose of self defense as the girl brought the orange blade down. Tak stood shaking in her power as he realized instead of being sliced in two, a blade of blue energy from his new sword held off the girl's weapon. He smiled and whipped around the girl managing to plunge the sword through her neck, impaling her on the spot. The boy held the sword as the slain girl extinguished her own blade and her life slowly ebbed away. She gazed into his brown eyes and spoke.  
  
  
  
"You had better prepare for me. I am coming to kill you." A trickle of red blood fell from her nose as she attempted to smile . The girl then closed her eyes and breathed her last. As she exhaled, Tak noticed a blood red stone in her left wrist, one identical to the ones already in the hilt of his new sword. The stone began to glow with a blue light and then it disappeared only to reappear within the blue energy of his blade. Slowly, the round gem traveled inside his blade until it reappeared next to its sisters in the hilt of the sword. He now had all three gems. As the gem left her body, the strange girl began to disappear. Tak extinguished his blade and raised the sword to eye level to examine the three gems.  
  
  
  
"She is coming to kill me. I must be ready." He grinned as he felt the increase of power flow through his body, probably due to the new gem. "I must kill her and take this gem."  
  
  
  
As soon as that realization was made, Tak found himself whisked away from the beautiful mountain pond. He now stood in complete darkness, the sword still level with his eyes, but this time, the blue blade hummed merrily before him. His eyes began to focus on his surroundings. A room. Some furnature. Bodies.  
  
  
  
"What!"  
  
  
  
A trickle of sweat fell down his temple as he peered through the sword to the carnage in the room. Before him in pools of blood lay a warrior without his head, an old man and a young girl all dead. He extinguished the blade and fell to his knees. He had slain them. He had used this sword and killed his captors. The boy gathered up his strength and raised his body again to a standing position. He held the sword in this right hand to his side and gripped it tightly as a plan formed in his tortured mind. He grit his teeth and squeezed the hilt until a tiny drop of blood fell from his hand to the floor. He knew what he must do next.  
  
  
  
"Gento." He growled and took off into the black of the night.  
  
****  
  
"Good morning Tiger." The smooth male voice stirred the pirate from her sleep. She moaned as the searing morning sun filtered through her eyelids and into her brain. Her head pounded, her neck was sore and she had a god awful nasty taste in her mouth. Then she realized that she was not alone.  
  
  
  
"What?" Ryoko sat up and noticed she was lying on a sandy beach next to a handsome man.  
  
  
  
"No good morning kisses? I'm hurt." He reached inside his jacket pocket and brought out cigarette and placed it in his lips.  
  
"You creep!" She screeched and lunged at him, as she generated sparks.  
  
  
  
"Are you showing me more affection or are you just trying to light my cigarette?" He jumped out of her way as she fell face forward into the sand. Ryoko painfully raised her body up and began spitting out sand.  
  
  
  
"Before I kill you, I'm going to make you tell me just what happened!" Her eyes glowed yellow and she turned around to face him, this time she was holding her energy sword. The man became nervous and began to slowly back away.  
  
  
  
"Now, now, kitten..you mean to tell me you don't remember?" She took a swing at him with her sword as he ducked.  
  
  
  
"What did you do!"  
  
  
  
"Do you mean, what did WE do?" He blurted out missing her blade again. "Oh, the stars wept, the moons shook, the planet spun backwards..you don't remember the earthquake?" He laughed as she ran after him.  
  
  
  
"I'm going to slice them off!" She aimed her sword at his crotch, again he narrowly escaped becoming a eunuch.  
  
  
  
"Relax. Remember? It was you that made the first moves! Look! You practically ripped my shirt off digging around in my jacket."  
  
  
  
Ryoko stopped and stared at him. He was right. She remembered bits and pieces of the night before. She remembered all the drinking and saving Ayeka from this man..oh, she remembered his name- Amatasu. That's right! She threw back her hand, the sword becoming a ball of energy. In a quick movement, she flung the ball at Amatasu, hitting the sand in front of him and causing a concussive blast that flung his body backward onto the sand. Before he could sit up, the pirate stood over him, her right foot holding him down by his left shoulder.  
  
  
  
"Your fatal mistake is taking advantage of me while I was drunk." She produced her sword again and held it precariously between his sprawled legs. "I think I'll make it so you are not able to do such a thing again!"  
  
  
  
"Wait!" He yelped as he let the cigarette fall from his mouth. Amatasu felt the searing heat from Ryoko's sword inching closer and closer to his privates. "Look at yourself! I swear! I didn't touch you!" Beads of sweat flowed down his temples as Ryoko brought her sword closer and closer to his groin.  
  
  
  
"I don't care." She grinned and was about to make him less of a man when she noticed it. Her button, the tiny pin that Washu had given all the girls to find Tenchi was beeping. "What?" She extinguished her sword and stood back, allowing Amatasu time to scamper back from her.  
  
  
  
"And, and, that thing." He stammered realizing he escaped another close call. "That thing was beeping all night." He nervously drug another cigarette out of his sand filled coat pocket and stuck it in is mouth.  
  
  
  
"Tenchi?" Ryoko lunged upon Amatasu. As she got closer, the pin's beeping and blinking reached a fever pitch.  
  
  
  
"Who?"  
  
  
  
The pirate grabbed the young man by his collar and brought his face up to hers. She grasped his face with both of her hands and brought it closer to her own until they were inches apart and eye to eye.  
  
  
  
"Bah!" She threw him back to the sand. "You are not Tenchi...but you HAVE something of his.." She began ripping and rifling through his jacket until she pulled out a brown pouch.  
  
  
  
"Hey! That's mine!" He rose up and tried to grab the object from her hand. Ryoko answered with a swift punch to his face leaving him dazed in the sand a few feet away from where he originally sat.  
  
  
  
Ryoko stared at the brown pouch. She pulled the dark cord that kept it closed and a handful of golden coins fell to the sand. She blinked at the gold and then disregarded them, it was this pouch that was interesting. Slowly, she raised the soft brown fabric up to her face. She took a long sniff, letting the tiny particles of scent infiltrate her sensitive nose. It smelled of Tenchi. Upon further examination, the fabric, made of soft, brown microfiber was most certainly the fabric that made up Tenchi's field coat. She turned to Amatasu once again.  
  
  
  
"Where is he!" She produced her orange energy sword and held it to the man's throat.  
  
  
  
"Who?"  
  
  
  
"Don't be stupid! This fabric was part of a coat, where is the owner!"  
  
  
  
"The owner..you mean the boy?"  
  
  
  
"Yes damnit! Where is the boy who wore that coat!"  
  
  
  
"Oh..THAT boy..." He grinned and lit his cigarette with the flames of her sword. "Why don't you sit down and let's talk about the boy...or, you can kill me and never know." He exhaled smoke in her face.  
  
  
  
"Bastard." Ryoko knew he was right, she hated him but he apparently was the only link to her Tenchi. "Spill it!" She plopped down in front of him.  
  
  
  
"Let me tell you about my business. I'm what you could say, a talent agent for the moon planet Thea," he waved his cigarette in the direction of the brown moon still on the horizon. "I'm sure you've heard of it."  
  
  
  
"Yeah, fighting barbarians..go on."  
  
  
  
"My line of work, which is VERY profitable by the way, has me finding the most powerful warriors in the galaxy to fight in Thea's tournaments. Not only do make a killing in finder's fees, but I know my fighters. I also clean it up in the betting arena."  
  
  
  
"And I used to plunder starships! I don't care how you made money, tell me about Tenchi!"  
  
  
  
"Tenchi? Oh, the boy..anyway, a long time ago, I witnessed a crash in the dunes while I was on my way to the tournament there. A young man stumbled out into the sandstorm and practically fell at my feet. I was about to leave him, he seemed like a scrawny little thing.." Ryoko cut him off with a punch to the nose. "Ok," he composed himself. "But I saw potential in him and took him to the tournament with me."  
  
  
  
"You what?"  
  
  
  
"He was out of it. Couldn't remember who he was, kept mumbling about this beautiful lady named Tenchi." He took a drag from his cigarette as a drip of blood fell from his nose. "Hell, he turned out to be the best of the fighters. I sold him..er..he found a job as a professional strong man for some fat nobleman."  
  
  
  
"He's alive?"  
  
  
  
"Last I heard he was tearing up jack in the tournaments."  
  
  
  
"You will take us there!"  
  
  
  
"No." He leered at her. "But I will take YOU there."  
  
  
  
"All of us will go!"  
  
  
  
"Only you or you can just kill me. Try to find him on your own. I dare you. Ryoko..look at Thea. People here call it a moon but it is really the largest planet in this system. Celeste is really the moon that orbits Thea."  
  
  
  
"Bah! I don't need you." She stood to face him. "I can find him now that I know where he is."  
  
  
  
"Can you? You'll never be able to navigate through the dunes in a sandstorm and if you take your friends, you'll just be leading them to their deaths out there. If you do me a tiny little favor, I'll take you straight to your Tenchi."  
  
  
  
"What kind of favor?"  
  
  
  
"Fight. Fight in the tournament for me. You would be grand, just grand- a female warrior would take them totally by surprise and you would make me a fortune. You are sure to see your Tenchi there.  
  
  
  
"Let me get this straight. Instead of me killing you, you want me to fight for you?" Exactly what is in it for me?" She grunted and lowered her sword at his groin once more.  
  
  
  
"Now, don't get excited.." He began to sweat. "You'll get to find your Tenchi and..and.we'll split the winnings. Eighty-twenty."  
  
  
  
"Don't make me laugh!" She lunged at him searing his zipper.  
  
  
  
"Ok! Don't!" He scooted back to protect his privates. "Fine! Fifty- Fifty!"  
  
  
  
"That sounds more reasonable." Ryoko smiled thinking of not only being the one to rescue Tenchi, but also about all that money. She stood back and extinguished her sword. "Your ship..or mine?"  
  
  
  
"Mine." He stood up and began walking down the beach. "You coming?"  
  
  
  
"Yeah." Ryoko followed.  
  
***  
  
Flashes of light rippled upon her face in delicate waves of pale blue and white. Aeyka felt as if her body rest upon the surface of the warm water that covered most of her home planet. It was as if her physical form undulated with each tiny wave- a most pleasant sensation, and she felt quite happy to exist as this until she heard the sweet voice in her head.  
  
  
  
"Ayeka."  
  
  
  
"Who is that?" The Princess opened her eyes and realized that she was not floating in a calm sea, but standing upon the silver surface of a mirrored floor. Ayeka looked around her to see tiny trees, mere seedlings, glowing with the same pale blue and white light she felt as she floated away on the invisible water. She gazed at her reflection in the floor-she no longer wore a white party dress, instead, she was clad in elaborate royal robes of pure white with cascading pink and blue streamers descending from her multicolored armor collar plate. "What is going on?" She held up her hands to admire dark gloves with more colored gauntlet armor.  
  
  
  
"I'm sorry to startle you. There was no other way."  
  
  
  
"Tsunami?" Ayeka's head turned toward the sweet voice of the Goddess who her beloved sister was to become. Before her and standing in front a pool of water stood one of the trinity, the Goddess Tsunami shrouded in light.  
  
  
  
"You have a power that has yet to be awakened. Don't be frightened."  
  
  
  
"Tsunami! Can you help us find Tenchi?" Ayeka ran toward the beautiful woman in the light, frantic to gain some information from the divine. She also wondered just where she had heard the phrase the Goddess just uttered before. The Princess approached the reflecting pool and stood before Tsunami. She noticed the reflection of her sister, Sasami in the pool at Tsunami's feet.  
  
  
  
"Ayeka, all I can give you is the fact that you will find him." She turned her face to the side as a tear fell down Sasami's cheek. "But he may be lost to me, forever if you don't find him soon."  
  
  
  
"What do you mean, lost?" Ayeka was getting impatient. Surely Tsunami, a God, would give her more answers than this.  
  
  
  
"I'm so sorry." She placed her warm hand on the Princess' shoulder. "I tried. I tried so very hard to keep him. I don't know that there is any more I can do..the rest is up to you..and Ryoko."  
  
  
  
"Ryoko!" That is not acceptable! Tell me, please! Please tell me where to find him!" Tears began to stream down her porcelain face as Ayeka's red eyes pleaded with the Goddess.  
  
  
  
"You are so close..." And suddenly, Tsunami, everything was gone.  
  
  
  
"Am I dead?" Ayeka awoke in the large bathtub of her hotel suite. Still clad in her white outfit from the night before, she struggled through the mini skirt to right herself and get out of the tub. Her head felt awful, like she used it to ram the door open. Along with the throbbing headache, she also felt the first waves of nausea as she stood up. Her next step was toward the toilet to puke. "Not very princess-like, is it," she whispered to herself as she moved to lean over the sink basin and brush her teeth. Upon inspection of her body in the mirror, the princess noticed the pale blue outline of a handprint on her left arm, a bruise slowly forming and she remembered the dream and she remembered the events of the night before.  
  
  
  
"Mihoshi!" She screamed and ran toward the door adjoining their suites. She stopped for a second to cradle her sore head after she screamed.  
  
  
  
"Yes?" Even though she out drank Ryoko the night before, there stood Mihoshi in her workout gear doing stretches and apparently not as in as bad a shape as the Princess. "You don't look so good.."  
  
  
  
"Mihoshi, is Ryoko here? Did she come back last night?"  
  
  
  
"I didn't see her, I thought she was with you and Sasami."  
  
  
  
"I somehow fell asleep in the tub, let's check my room." Ayeka felt no need to share her dream with anyone. Perhaps it was her imagination on overload. But now, more than ever, she was sure that Tenchi was close.  
  
  
  
"Check it for what?" Washu peered from behind the minibar door.  
  
  
  
"Have you seen Ryoko?"  
  
  
  
"No, I thought she was with you."  
  
  
  
"Washu, I think something bad happened to her...last night."  
  
  
  
"What happened last night?"  
  
  
  
"Ayeka was attacked by a man." Mihoshi interjected. "And Ryoko beat him up. We thought she was right behind us."  
  
  
  
"Well, the question is, who has the money?" Washu smiled nonchalantly and grabbed a soda from the small refrigerator. "Because if you guys left the money with Ryoko, she may have gone off to spend it.on her own."  
  
  
  
"Right here." Mihoshi picked up the pouch of native coins and tossed them to Washu. "Ayeka, you handed this to me when we left the beach."  
  
  
  
"Hmmmmm," Washu squinted her left eye and exhaled trying to speak with Ryoko using their telepathic link. "Ryoko." She called for her daughter in her mind. "She's not answering me, but I know she's alright. Ryo-Ohki?"  
  
  
  
"Miya?" The once furry cabbit now wobbled into the room in the form of a small child, a form she loved to take to play with Sasami. Thanks to her merger with a creature called Mass, little Ryo-Ohki could take the form of a furry child whenever she wanted, but she wasn't able to keep the form stable for too long before she had to appear as a rabbit creature once more.  
  
  
  
"Can you tell me where Ryoko is?" Washu implored.  
  
  
  
"Hmmmmm?" Ryo-Ohki called for her master, her sister Ryoko. She heard Ryoko's thoughts as a far away mumble, telling her she was ok but she refused to answer.  
  
  
  
"She won't tell you either, will she?" Washu snarled. "Well, we'll just have to see about that girl!" She stomped back into her own room and produced her laptop from mid air.  
  
***  
  
The warm air of the sandy night heightened Tak's already elevated senses. In his right hand, he clutched the mighty weapon he now could control and in his left hand he carried the brown scratchy pads of the sand plant he stole from the cook. Almost to the sand trees, the boy caught a glimpse of Gento's black hovercraft. Tak hid behind a clump of dirty sand trees and tucked the wooden hilt into his black sash. Rage. He felt a newfound rage and fury unleashed as he killed Edo and his men. Startled at becoming aware of this act, he now relished it and the rush of the kill. Now he intended to unleash this new rage on his slave master. His brown eyes now burned like red embers staring from the eye holes of the mask, a demons face with glowing eyes. Tak carefully shoved the sand plant pieces under his mask making sure they stood securely on the pressure points of his face that came in contact with the burning metal. When he was done, he smiled, grabbed the sword and grit his teeth as he slowly made his way toward the carriage in the dark.  
  
  
  
"Well, do you have it?" Gento smiled from inside the craft as Tak approached.  
  
  
  
Tak responded by holding the hilt up so his master could see.  
  
  
  
"You can hold it?"  
  
  
  
Tak smiled and got in the craft with his master.  
  
  
  
"Splendid...splendid, we will be unstoppable now..." Gento said with much trepidation as Tak quietly put the sword back in his sash and sat across from him. "Driver! Home quickly!" The carriage sped off into the night.  
  
"Well, uh, now that we have the sword, you can..give it to me." Gento grinned as both he and Tak exited the carriage and entered the compound.  
  
  
  
"No. No one can hold it without mortal damage..except me. It is safe in my possession Gento." He patted the lump in his sash were the sword rest. "Please have the driver call off the sentries."  
  
  
  
"He, he, he, of course." The fat man let lose a nervous laugh. He did not count on Tak being able to hold the weapon, and it was horrible weapon at that. The old man fingered the key to his slave's mask. "Do as he said!" He ordered the driver who soon disappeared. "Now, my loyal friend, wouldn't you feel better if that awful thing was in my possession?"  
  
  
  
"It's been a long night, Gento." Tak sighed. "Let's talk about it inside."  
  
  
  
"Very well, my son." The man led his Krta slave back into the house. They came upon the grand entryway and Gento turned around, this time, his eyes devoid of nervousness. "Now, there is not going to be a debate. Place the sword down on that table." He held up the key to Tak's mask threateningly.  
  
  
  
"Not this time, Gento, my friend." Tak stood his ground as anger boiled over in his master.  
  
  
  
"Insolent! I'll teach you to take that tone with me!" He grasped the key before him and Tak's demon mask began to glow. "You'll change your tune shortly." He snarled as fringes of the warrior's dark hair ignited as they came in contact with the molten mask.  
  
  
  
Tak smiled from behind the poker hot metal. The sand plant was working perfectly. He felt the heat and his hair was singing, but his skin was protected from the torture. He was now free. He took the sword from his sash and held it before Gento. With a quick flick to his wrist, the blue flame ignited and glowed before him.  
  
  
  
"What? Put that down! I'm warning you! I will kill you Tak!" Gento still clutched the key outstretched before him, his only weapon in controlling his strong arm and it was not working.  
  
  
  
"Not this time, old man." Tak swung the sword before him, lopping off Gento's hand. The limb and the key fell to the right as his master screamed in agony.  
  
  
  
"Help me! Someone help me!" He yelled down the corridors.  
  
  
  
"Pathetic fool. Do you think you can give me this weapon to fight with, and I would not use it against you?" He inched closer to Gento as the look on the old man's eyes changed from anger to fear.  
  
  
  
"Please, I'll do anything..please!"  
  
"Coward!" Tak lunged at Gento and ran the blue blade through the old man's sternum. Gento fell limp upon the floor. The boy noticed that as he killed the man, he felt a slight tingling sensation in his sword hand which he soon dismissed. Mitir and other members of Gento's household soon filled the room and stared in awe at their slain master and his slave.  
  
  
  
"Tak?" Mitir gazed at the boy.  
  
  
  
"All of you!" Tak raised the glowing blue sword over his head as he addressed them. "I have slain the master. Gento is dead. I am the new master of this house. I will kill any opposed to me."  
  
"We are all with you, Master Tak," Mitir replied as he gently picked up the key to Tak's mask and handed it to him. "We will follow you anywhere."  
  
"I am glad of that, my friend..oh so glad." Tak sighed as that heavy burden was released. He strolled over to the window, full aware of the gasps and stares of the others upon his back. The boy slowly raised the key to the back strap of the mask, and turned the locking mechanism that had held the monstrous thing over his face. The metal hit the floor with a loud ringing clunk as if the demon upon it screamed with glory. It was the first time in over six months that his face felt the moonlight. He gazed out the window and noticed a glimmer of light streak across the night's sky. It was a ship. She was coming for him and he would be ready. 


End file.
